February 15, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Gosselin, Garfield, Hoogendyk, Drolet, Pastor and Stahl and referred to the Committee on Higher Education and Career Preparation.
A bill to amend 1999 PA 94, entitled
"Michigan merit award scholarship act,"
by amending section 7b (MCL 390.1457b), as added by 2004 PA 595.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 7b. (1) In addition to the requirements set forth in
section 7(2) or (3) or section 7a(1), to be eligible for the award
of a Michigan merit award scholarship under this act, the board
must find that a student satisfies all of the following:
(a) The student has graduated from high school or passed the
general educational development (GED) test or other graduate
equivalency examination approved by the state board.
(b) The student graduated from high school or passed the
general educational development (GED) test or other graduate
equivalency examination approved by the state board within 1 of the
following time periods:
(i) If the student graduated from high school or passed the
test or examination before March 1, 2002, within the 7-year period
preceding the student's application to receive his or her Michigan
merit award scholarship money.
(ii) If the student graduated on or after March 1, 2002, within
the 4-year period preceding the date of the student's application
to receive his or her Michigan merit award scholarship money, or if
the student becomes a member of the United States armed forces or
peace corps during this 4-year period and serves for 4 years or
less, the 4-year period is extended by a period equal to the number
of days the student served as a member of the United States armed
forces or peace corps. The board may also extend the 4-year period
if the board determines that an extension is warranted because of
an illness or disability of the student or in the student's
immediate family or another family emergency.
(c) The student is enrolled in an approved postsecondary
educational institution. For students who qualify under section
7(2)(c), the student is enrolled in a vocational or technical
education program at an approved postsecondary educational
institution.
(d) The student has not been convicted of a felony involving
an assault, physical injury, or death.
(e) The student satisfies any additional eligibility
requirements established by the board. The board's authority to
establish or enforce additional eligibility requirements is subject
to subsection (7).
(2) For a middle school assessment test or high school
assessment test administered after January 1, 2000, the board shall
not use that assessment test to determine eligibility for a
Michigan merit award scholarship under this section for a
particular year unless the board has reviewed and approved that
assessment test before it was administered for that year.
(3) The board shall provide each pupil written notice of
whether or not the pupil is eligible for the award of 1 or more
Michigan merit award scholarships described in this act. If the
pupil is eligible, the written notice shall also contain the
Michigan merit award scholarship amount for which the pupil is
eligible, how the pupil applies for payment of Michigan merit award
scholarship, and any other information the board considers
necessary regarding qualification requirements or conditions
relating to the use of the Michigan merit award scholarship.
(4) It is the intent of the legislature that the level of
pupil performance required to achieve qualifying results in a
subject area of an assessment test remains approximately the same,
and that the board not reduce the required level of pupil
performance as a means of increasing the number of Michigan merit
award scholarships awarded.
(5) A pupil who does not initially receive qualifying results
shall be extended an opportunity to achieve the requisite
qualifying results by taking a subsequent assessment test. A pupil
described in this subsection who is enrolled in grade 12 in the
2006-2007 school year, or enrolled in grade 12 in the first
calendar year after the approval described in section 7(6) occurs
if that subsection applies, may elect either of the following:
(a) To take the high school assessment test for the purpose of
qualifying for a Michigan merit award scholarship under section
7(2).
(b) To take the Michigan merit examination for the purpose of
qualifying for a Michigan merit award scholarship under section
7(3).
(6) A nonpublic school pupil or home school pupil may take,
and the board shall administer if requested, an assessment test at
a site designated by the board.
(7) A student is not required to complete volunteer or
community service as a requirement for or condition of receiving a
Michigan merit award scholarship under this act. The board shall
not impose or enforce a volunteer or community service requirement.
As used in this subsection, "community service" includes the
activities described in the board's resolution 2004-1, adopted by
the board on August 17, 2004.