Market Sag, Tuition Spike Batter Savings Plans

By Sean Cavanagh

As Wall Street staggered through a prolonged slump, and mutual funds, 401Ks, and blue-chip investments tumbled along with it, parents who stashed money outside the stock market, in prepaid-tuition programs for college, have seen their savings quietly grow.

The beauty of those comparatively low-risk plans, which allow families to start paying for their children's years on campus ahead of time, became clearer as investment options with more zing took a beating.

But lately, the nation's economic woes are catching up...