FLORENCE — Northern Kentucky, which leads the state in many educational and economic measures, is a little behind Bowling Green, Louisville and Lexington in saving for college.

But there is a chance to catch up.

State Treasurer Jonathan Miller will be at Florence Mall today from noon to 2 p.m. to answer questions about the Kentucky Affordable Prepaid Tuition program, which is beginning its second enrollment period.

In the first enrollment period, 4,250 families signed up for the program, which allows parents, grandparents and others to prepay tuition in a lump sum or in monthly payments over several years.

Only 245 of those families were from Boone, Kenton or Campbell counties.

“Northern Kentucky's not signing up” as quickly as might have been expected, Mr. Miller said Monday.

Northern Kentucky's median income on the 2000 census ranged from a $41,000 average in Campbell County to $53,000 in Boone County.

In addition, Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties boast some of the top elementary and high schools in the state, according to Kentucky's education accountability scores.

Mr. Miller said the low signup may be because the program did limited advertising in Northern Kentucky during the first enrollment.

The tuition funds in the account can be used in any state.

According to Mr. Miller, 79 Boone County families, 90 Kenton County families and 76 Campbell County families signed up for the program in the first period.

By comparison, 119 Warren County families — where Bowling Green is the major population center — have signed up. In Jefferson County (Louisville area), 759 families have signed up, with 575 in Fayette (Lexington area), 161 in Oldham (Louisville suburbs), 126 in Franklin (Frankfort) and 100 in Woodford County (Versailles).

In Eastern Kentucky, Boyd County is the standout, with 39 signups. Daviess County and Hardin County had 88 and 96 signups, respectively.

But more than 50 of the state's 120 counties have fewer than 10 signups for the prepaid tuition program.

The program is a tax-free savings plan that guarantees full payment of tuition and fees at any public college or university in Kentucky.

Benefits can also be used at private Kentucky colleges and other colleges and universities nationwide.

Payments can be set up to be made by payroll deduction in many cases, or by electronic transfer.

The program's funds are invested by the state and are backed by the Kentucky unclaimed property fund in case of stock market decline.

Because the Kentucky program is so new, its funds were not in the stock market before the drastic declines “post-Enron and post-WorldCom,” Mr. Miller said.

The unclaimed property fund would fill the gap for any difference between market performance of the program's funds and tuition prices upon withdrawal of the funds.

Increases in state university tuition are possible in light of Kentucky's budget crisis, Mr. Miller said. Program enrollment locks in current tuition prices before they go up.

There are three levels of the tuition plan, one for two-year or technical schools, one for four-year public universities and one for private universities.

Fifth Third Bank has this year's state contract to invest the funds, which are about half in stocks and half in bonds.

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