(1) To encourage education and the means of education;
(2) To maintain state institutions of higher education by helping to provide a stable financial base to these institutions;
(3) To provide wide and affordable access to state institutions of higher education for the residents of this state;
(4) To encourage attendance at state institutions of higher education;
(5) To provide students and their parents economic protection against rising tuition costs;
(6) To provide students and their parents financial assistance for postsecondary education;
(7) To help provide the benefits of higher education to the people of this state; and
(8) To encourage elementary and secondary students in this state to achieve high standards of performance.