$100 for Kindergartners: Oregon State Treasurer, Oregon Department of Education Director celebrate Oregon Kindergarteners and Highlight Education Savings Bonus

As Oregon's kindergartners reach the first milestone in their academic journeys, Oregon State Treasurer Elizabeth Steiner MD and Oregon Department of Education Director Dr. Charlene Williams are offering applause - and promoting a $100 bonus to help them jumpstart savings toward their education dreams.

The state leaders today met with a classroom of kindergarteners at Vose Elementary in Beaverton, where they announced a new congratulatory statewide "diploma" to celebrate kindergarten graduations across Oregon.

The diploma also explains how Treasury is providing kids a financial boost: Parents and guardians of Oregon kindergarteners will receive a $100 bonus when they open an Embark account with as little as $25. Embark is Oregon's official 529 plan and helps families to save for an array of higher education expenses.

"Education is the pathway to your dreams. We are pleased to help families of Oregon kindergarteners begin saving to help make those dreams a reality," said Treasurer Steiner.

"Education opens doors throughout a child's life, and kindergarten is a significant step in that journey," said Dr. Charlene Williams, ODE Director. "This partnership celebrates Oregon's young learners while giving families a practical way to start planning and saving for future education opportunities. We want every child in Oregon to know their future is full of possibility."

The Oregon leaders are encouraging elementary schools and kindergarten teachers statewide to hand out the diplomas as part of year-end celebrations. They are available in English and Spanish.

The diploma is free and downloadable, in English and Spanish, and available to every school - public and private. On the reverse side, it includes instructions on how to claim the Kinder Grad $100 bonus.

The incentive is available to every family of kindergarten-aged students across Oregon, whether in public or private school or even homeschooled. The $100 bonus helps to jumpstart education savings, recognizes the value of starting early and making savings a habit.

There's also good news for families who already opened accounts in the past: Contributions to Embark accounts are eligible for an annual Oregon refundable tax credit up to $380 for joint filers and $190 for single filers.

Formerly called the Oregon College Savings Plan, Embark is managed by the Oregon State Treasury. Savings can be used for any accredited post-high-school education, including community college, trade schools, universities or apprenticeship programs. Research shows that children are three times more likely to enroll in higher education if they have an education savings account in their name. Also, Embark is open for everyone: those just starting out, those pursuing continuing education and training, and anyone in between.

As Oregon's chief financial officer, Treasurer Steiner oversees various programs dedicated to safeguarding the state's and its residents' financial wellbeing.

Embark is Oregon's trusted 529 education savings plan. Embark makes it simple for families to save for whatever comes after high school, supporting a wide range of education paths, whether that's college, trade school, career training, or apprenticeships. Embark can help you save for it all, tax-free, and earn a refundable tax credit every year. To learn more, visit embarksavings.com.

About Oregon State Treasury
Oregon State Treasury improves the financial well-being of all Oregonians. We provide low-cost banking, debt management, and investment programs for governments and empower Oregonians to invest in themselves and their loved ones through Upward Oregon savings programs: Embark, Oregon ABLE Savings Plan, and OregonSaves. Treasury also manages the state's Unclaimed Property Program.