HOUSE BILL No. 4835

 

May 26, 2005, Introduced by Reps. Stakoe, Ward, Hune, Taub, Vander Veen, Stewart, Stahl, Green, Nofs, Gosselin, Casperson, Marleau, Schuitmaker, Hoogendyk, Mortimer, Huizenga, Elsenheimer, Garfield, Pastor, Nitz, Emmons, Baxter, Hansen, Booher, Steil, Wenke, Van Regenmorter, Newell, Sheen, Gaffney, Proos and David Law and referred to the Committee on Higher Education and Career Preparation.

 

     A bill to amend 1979 PA 94, entitled

 

"The state school aid act of 1979,"

 

(MCL 388.1601 to 388.1772) by adding section 57a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 57a. (1) From the state school aid fund appropriation in

 

section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed

 

$1,500,000.00 for 2005-2006 for grants under this section. The

 

department shall make grants to applicant districts, intermediate

 

districts, or consortia consisting of districts or intermediate

 

districts or both, to assist to offset the costs of establishing an

 

international baccalaureate diploma program or international

 

baccalaureate middle years program.

 

     (2) All of the following apply to a grant under this section:


 

     (a) A district, intermediate district, or consortium

 

consisting of districts or intermediate districts or both shall

 

apply for the grant to the department in the form and manner

 

prescribed by the department.

 

     (b) The amount of each grant shall be $150,000.00, and a grant

 

recipient may receive a grant under this section each fiscal year

 

for not more than 4 fiscal years.

 

     (c) Grant funds shall be used only for start-up costs for the

 

first 4 years of establishing an international baccalaureate

 

diploma program or middle years program, as prescribed by the

 

department.

 

     (d) The department shall award the grants to grant applicants

 

in consultation with an advisory committee established by the

 

department. The advisory committee shall consist of a

 

representative of the department, a representative designated by

 

the governor, a district superintendent, a representative from an

 

existing international baccalaureate diploma program, and a

 

representative of the international baccalaureate organization.

 

     (e) A program funded by a grant under this section shall serve

 

either at least 75 pupils enrolled in each grade level in which the

 

program is offered or at least 200 total pupils enrolled in the

 

program.

 

     (f) If the number of grant applicants exceeds the number that

 

may be fully funded with the amount allocated under this section,

 

the department shall award the grants based on the following:

 

     (i) The number of pupils to be enrolled in the program. For a

 

middle years program, this means the number enrolled in the program


 

in grades 6 to 8. For a diploma program, this means the number of

 

pupils enrolled in grades 9 to 12.

 

     (ii) The department shall give priority to programs operated by

 

a consortium and to diploma programs that require full diploma

 

participation.

 

     (iii) The department shall attempt to balance the grants between

 

diploma programs and middle years programs.

 

     (g) Notwithstanding section 17b, payments under this section

 

may be made pursuant to an agreement with the department.

 

     (3) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "International baccalaureate diploma program" or "diploma

 

program" means a program that offers the curriculum and

 

examinations leading to an international baccalaureate diploma

 

awarded by the international baccalaureate organization and that

 

either has been authorized by the international baccalaureate

 

organization or has initiated the application process for achieving

 

that authorization.

 

     (b) "International baccalaureate middle years program" or

 

"middle years program" means a middle school program that offers

 

the middle school curriculum and examinations of the international

 

baccalaureate organization and that either has been authorized by

 

the international baccalaureate organization or has initiated the

 

application process for achieving that authorization.