May 10, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Hoogendyk, Palmer, Gosselin and Drolet and referred to the Committee on Higher Education and Career Preparation.
A bill to establish a higher education enrollment option grant
program for certain students; to prescribe certain duties of public
schools; and to prescribe certain powers and duties of certain
community colleges and state departments, officials, and agencies.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the
"Michigan accelerated college education act".
Sec. 3. As used in this act:
(a) "Authority" means the Michigan higher education assistance
authority created by 1960 PA 77, MCL 390.951 to 390.961.
(b) "Community college" means a community college established
under the community college act of 1966, 1966 PA 331, MCL 389.1 to
389.195, or under part 25 of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451,
MCL 380.1601 to 380.1607, or a federal tribally controlled
community college located in this state that is recognized under
the tribally controlled community college assistance act of 1978,
Public Law 95-471, and is determined by the authority to meet the
requirements for accreditation by a recognized regional accrediting
body.
(c) "Eligible charges" means tuition, books, and mandatory
course fees, material fees, and registration fees required by a
community college for enrollment in an eligible program. Eligible
charges also include any late fees charged by a community college
due to the authority's failure to make a required payment according
to the timetable prescribed under this act. Eligible charges do not
include transportation or parking costs or activity fees.
(d) "Eligible program" means a program of study offered by a
community college leading to an associate degree.
(e) "Eligible student" means an individual who meets the
eligibility requirements described in section 5(1).
Sec. 5. (1) Subject to subsection (3), an individual who meets
all of the following may attend a community college without
completing high school:
(a) He or she has resided continuously in this state for the
preceding 12 months and is not considered a resident of any other
state.
(b) He or she is at least 15 and less than 19 years of age.
(c) He or she has completed at least 1/2 of the credits
required for graduation by a high school or received an overall
score in the top 20% of a nationally recognized college admission
examination.
(d) He or she is admitted to and enrolled in the community
college as a full-time student in an eligible program.
(2) Upon request by a community college, a student shall
provide evidence of eligibility to the authority. If a student
attended high school in this state, the high school shall provide a
transcript to the student upon request.
(3) In any academic year, a community college may enroll under
this act up to 10 new eligible students and up to 10 additional new
eligible students who were at-risk pupils, as defined in section
31a of the state school aid act, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1631a, while
in high school.
Sec. 7. (1) An eligible student shall receive a grant from the
authority, payable directly to the community college, for the
number of semesters, trimesters, or quarters of full-time
enrollment at that community college determined under subsection
(2). The amount of a grant is an amount equal to the lesser of the
amount of the eligible charges for the semester, trimester, or
quarter in which the student is enrolled, and an amount equal to 1
of the following percentages of the basic foundation allowance
described in section 20 of the state school aid act of 1979, 1979
PA 94, MCL 388.1620:
(a) If the eligible program in which the student is enrolled
is conducted in semesters, 16.67%.
(b) If the eligible program in which the student is enrolled
is conducted in trimesters, 12.50%.
(c) If the eligible program in which the student is enrolled
is conducted in quarters, 8.335%.
(2) The following are the maximum number of semesters,
trimesters, or quarters of full-time enrollment at a community
college for which an eligible student may receive a grant under
subsection (1):
(a) For an eligible student who attended high school for 4 or
fewer semesters or its equivalent, 4 semesters or an equivalent
number of trimesters or quarters.
(b) For an eligible student who attended high school for 5
semesters or its equivalent, 3 semesters or an equivalent number of
trimesters or quarters.
(c) For an eligible student who attended high school for 6
semesters or its equivalent, 2 semesters or an equivalent number of
trimesters or quarters.
(d) For an eligible student who attended high school for 7
semesters or its equivalent, 1 semester or an equivalent number of
trimesters or quarters.
(e) An eligible student who graduated from or attended high
school for 8 or more semesters or its equivalent may not receive a
grant under this act.
(3) After an eligible student's first semester, trimester, or
quarter of enrollment in an eligible program, the authority is not
required to pay a grant described in subsection (1) in any
semester, trimester, or quarter if the student did not maintain a
grade point average of at least 2.0 in the preceding semester,
trimester, or quarter. This subsection does not reduce the total
number of semesters, trimesters, or quarters described in
subsection (1) in which the student is entitled to receive a grant
under this section.
(4) An eligible student is responsible for payment of the
remainder of the costs associated with his or her enrollment in a
community college that exceed the amount of his or her grant under
this section.
(5) This act does not restrict the ability of an eligible
student or any other pupil to enroll in any community college
without meeting this act.
Sec. 9. (1) Unless otherwise agreed between a community
college and the authority, after the expiration of the community
college's period for dropping or adding courses in the eligible
program in each semester, trimester, or quarter for which the
authority is required to make a grant payment under section 7, the
community college shall provide written notice to the authority of
the amount of eligible charges for the eligible program in which
the student is enrolled. The authority shall make the grant payment
within 30 days of receiving the notice.
(2) A community college shall not charge a late fee to an
eligible student or the authority for a grant paid in compliance
with the time period described in subsection (1) even if the
payment would otherwise be considered late by the community
college.
(3) Within a reasonable time after registration, a community
college shall send written notice to an eligible student indicating
the eligible program in which the eligible student is enrolled. The
community college shall notify the eligible student about tuition,
fees, books, materials, and other related charges, as determined by
the community college, in the customary manner used by the
community college, and shall notify the eligible student of the
amount of the eligible charges that it included in the notice to
the authority under subsection (1).
Sec. 11. By November 1 of each odd numbered year beginning in
2007, the authority shall submit a biennial report to the state
budget director, the house and senate standing committees
concerning education and community college issues, the house and
senate appropriation subcommittees on state school aid and on
community colleges, and the house and senate fiscal agencies on the
grant program established in this act. The report shall include,
but is not limited to, all of the following information for the
preceding 2 state fiscal years:
(a) The number of students who participated in the grant
program.
(b) The number of high school diplomas awarded by community
colleges under this act.
(c) The number of associate degrees awarded to students who
participated in the grant program.
(d) The total amount of grants awarded under this act and the
average grant amount.
Sec. 13. (1) Subject to subsection (2), a community college
shall award a high school diploma to an eligible student who
successfully completes the maximum number of semesters, trimesters,
or quarters applicable to that student under section 7(2).
(2) A community college shall not award a high school diploma
under subsection (1) to a student who has not successfully
completed a 1-semester course of study in civics that includes the
form and functions of the federal, state, and local governments and
stresses the rights and responsibilities of citizens, completed by
the student in high school under section 1166(2) of the revised
school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1166, or at a community college.
Enacting section 1. This act takes effect September 1, 2006.
Enacting section 2. This act does not take effect unless
Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 4766(request no. 02954'05 a)
of the 93rd Legislature is enacted into law.