April 26, 2007, Introduced by Senators RICHARDVILLE, BROWN, PATTERSON and PRUSI and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 2006 PA 479, entitled
"Michigan promise grant act,"
by amending sections 2, 4, and 8 (MCL 390.1622, 390.1624, and
390.1628).
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 2. As used in this act:
(a) "Academic year" means the period from September 1 of a
calendar year to August 31 of the next calendar year.
(b) "Approved postsecondary educational institution" means any
of the following:
(i) A public or private college or university, junior college,
or community college that grants degrees or certificates and is
located in this state.
(ii) A postsecondary educational institution, other than an
educational institution described in subparagraph (i), that is
located in this state, grants degrees, certificates, or other
recognized credentials, and is designated by the department as an
approved postsecondary educational institution.
(iii) A service academy.
(c) "Clock hour" means a time period consisting of any of the
following:
(i) Fifty to 60 minutes of class, lecture, or recitation in a
60-minute period.
(ii) Fifty to 60 minutes of faculty-supervised laboratory work,
shop training, or internship in a 60-minute period.
(iii) Sixty minutes of preparation in a correspondence course.
(d) "Cumulative grade point average" means the weighted mean
value of the courses considered by an approved postsecondary
educational institution in determining whether to award a student
an associate's degree or a 2-year certificate of completion in a
vocational training program, whether the student has completed a
comparable vocational education program, or whether the student has
completed 50% or more of the academic requirements for the award of
a bachelor's degree, including any courses completed at another
approved postsecondary educational institution if the student
transfers the credits for those courses to the approved
postsecondary educational institution making that determination.
(e) "Department" means the department of treasury.
(f) "Fiscal year" means a fiscal year of this state. A fiscal
year begins on October 1 of a calendar year and ends on September
30 of the next calendar year.
(g) "High school graduate" means an individual who has
received
a high school diploma from a high school in this state or
passed the general educational development (GED) diploma test or
any other high school graduate equivalency examination approved by
the state board of education.
(h) "Michigan promise grant" means a grant awarded by the
department under this act.
(i) "Qualifying score" means a score in a reading, writing,
mathematics, or science component of a state assessment test that
has been determined by the superintendent of public instruction to
indicate readiness to enroll in a course in that subject area in an
approved postsecondary educational institution.
(j) "Service academy" means the United States military
academy, United States naval academy, United States air force
academy, United States coast guard academy, or United States
merchant marine academy.
(k) "State assessment test" means the Michigan merit
examination described in section 1279g of the revised school code,
1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1279g, and section 104b of the state school
aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1704b, or any other test
administered by the department of education to students in grades
11 and 12 to assure state compliance with the federal no child left
behind act of 2001, Public Law 107-110.
(l) "Trust fund" means the Michigan merit award trust fund
established in section 9 of the Michigan trust fund act, 2000 PA
489, MCL 12.259.
Sec. 4. (1) The Michigan promise grant program is established.
The department shall provide Michigan promise grants under this act
from the trust fund and administer the Michigan promise grant
program.
(2) Subject to subsection (3), each student who becomes a high
school graduate in or after the 2006-2007 academic year is eligible
for the award of a Michigan promise grant in an amount determined
under section 5 or 6.
(3) In addition to the requirements set forth in subsection
(2), the department must find that a student meets all of the
following eligibility requirements to award the student a Michigan
promise grant under this act:
(a) The department has received a completed application for
payment as described in section 7(1), including the certification
described
in section 7(2) or (3), if applicable, on or before the
deadline
established by the department November
15 of the state
fiscal year in which they are eligible to receive payment.
(b) The student is a high school graduate and a resident of
this state.
(c) The student meets 1 of the following:
(i) For a grant under section 5, the student was awarded an
associate's degree or a 2-year certificate of completion in a
vocational training program at an approved postsecondary
educational institution, completed a comparable vocational
education program approved by the department at an approved
postsecondary educational institution, or completed 50% or more of
the academic requirements for the award of a bachelor's degree at
an approved postsecondary educational institution within 4 years of
his or her initial enrollment in an approved postsecondary
educational institution and meets 1 of the following:
(A) Has a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.5.
(B) If the student completed a vocational education program
that does not record grades or grade point averages for its
students, has successfully completed that program.
(ii) For a grant under section 6, the student received a
qualifying score in each of the reading, writing, mathematics, and
science components of the state assessment test, and for each
student who becomes a high school graduate in or after the 2010-
2011 academic year, successfully completes at least 3 credits in
mathematics as described in section 1278a(1)(a)(i) of the revised
school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1278a, and 3 credits in science
as described in section 1278b(1)(b) of the revised school code,
1976 PA 451, MCL 380.1278b.
(d) The student took the state assessment test.
(e) The student enrolled in an approved postsecondary
educational institution within 2 years after he or she became a
high school graduate. The department shall extend the 2-year period
if the student becomes a member of the United States armed forces
or peace corps during the 2-year period.
(f) The student did not previously receive a grant under this
act or scholarship money under the Michigan merit award scholarship
act, 1999 PA 94, MCL 390.1451 to 390.1459.
(g) The student meets any additional eligibility requirements
established by the department.
Sec.
8. (1) The department shall pay a Michigan promise grant
under
section 5 or a grant installment under section 6 to an
approved
postsecondary educational institution on the student's
behalf,
according to a payment procedure established by the
department.
disburse Michigan promise grant money to an approved
postsecondary institution on the student’s behalf in the following
state fiscal years, according to a payment procedure established by
the department:
(a) For a Michigan promise grant under section 5 or a Michigan
promise grant installment under section 6(2)(c), in the state
fiscal year that begins on the first October 1 following the end of
the academic year in which the student is eligible for that grant
or installment.
(b) For a Michigan promise grant installment under section
6(2)(a) or (b) or a Michigan promise grant under section 6(3), in
the state fiscal year that begins on October 1 in the academic year
in which the student is eligible for that installment or grant.
(2) An approved postsecondary educational institution shall
apply money received under subsection (1) on a student's behalf to
the student's outstanding indebtedness, if any, and pay the
remaining balance as follows:
(a) Unless subdivision (b) applies, to the student.
(b) If the money received by the institution under this
subsection is a grant installment under section 6(2)(a) or (b) and
the student elects to leave an approved postsecondary educational
institution without completing the classes in which he or she
enrolled, to the department. The student has no further right to
any money returned to the department under this subdivision.
(3) Subsection (2) shall not be considered as creating an
obligation on the part of an approved postsecondary educational
institution to loan or advance money to a student for the payment
of tuition, fees, or other costs or expenses incurred by the
student at that institution.
(4) The department may promulgate rules to implement and
administer this act, including, but not limited to, 1 or more of
the following:
(a) Rules establishing the department's administrative
procedures for the Michigan promise grant program.
(b) Rules governing the qualification requirements for or the
award of Michigan promise grants under this act.
(c) Rules establishing an appeals process from a determination
of ineligibility for a Michigan promise grant.
(d) Rules establishing what information or reports a student
or an approved postsecondary educational institution must provide
to establish eligibility and when that information or those reports
must be provided.
(e) Rules prescribing the reports to be made by a student
awarded a Michigan promise grant and by an approved postsecondary
educational institution to which a Michigan promise grant is paid.