On June 16, 2004, State Treasurer Jonathan Miller and Secretary of State Trey Grayson joined in the Capitol Rotunda to introduce the “Cradle to College” Commission.

With college tuition increasing at record rates all across the country, the Commission’s goal will be to find new, innovative ways to ensure that every Kentucky family can afford higher education for their children.

The Commission specifically will examine a new financial aid proposal: to provide children born in Kentucky with a college savings account on the day of their birth.  Ideally, the account would be funded so that families could afford at least a community or technical college education.

In turn, every high school senior who wishes to cash in his or her account to attend college would provide community or military service in Kentucky.  There will be incentives for those who stay in KY to pursue their careers, particularly those who pursue lower-paying, but socially-beneficial professions – such as teaching, law enforcement, social work and the military.