MICHIGAN ACCELERATED COLLEGE EDUCATION ACT
House Bill 5903
Sponsor: Rep. Jacob Hoogendyk
House Bill 5904
Sponsor: Rep. Brian Palmer
Committee: Government Operations
Complete to 4-24-06
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 5903 AND 5904 AS INTRODUCED 3-22-06
The bill would create a higher education enrollment grant program that would allow an eligible high school student to enroll full-time in a participating community college or state university, in an accelerated format. The grant program would be known as the Michigan Accelerated College Education Act. Grants would be based on the K-12 per pupil basic foundation allowance. The bill is tie-barred to House Bill 5904.
Under the bill, a student who meets all of the following could attend a postsecondary institution without completing high school if he or she:
· is at least 15 years and less than 19 years of age.
· attends, and has not graduated from, a high school operated by a school district in this state at the time he or she is first enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution.
· has completed at least half of the credits required for graduation by the high school or received an overall score in the top 20 percent of a nationally recognized college admission examination.
· is admitted to and enrolled in an eligible postsecondary institution as a full-time student in the program.
The student or the participating postsecondary institution may request a letter, signed by the student’s high school principal, be sent to the authority, the eligible student, and the postsecondary institution indicating the student’s eligibility.
Grant Amounts
An eligible student would receive a grant payable directly to the postsecondary institution for the number of semesters, trimesters, or quarters of full-time enrollment at the secondary institution. The amount of the grant would be equal to the lesser of actual charges or one of the following percentages of the basic foundation allowance: 25 percent if the student is enrolled in a semester program; 16.67 percent if the student is enrolled in a trimester program; and 12.5 percent if the student is enrolled in a quarter program.
Grant maximum
A student enrolled in a participating postsecondary institution may receive a maximum grant for the following number of semesters, trimesters, or quarters of full-time enrollment as follows:
· For a student who attended high school for 4 or fewer semesters, a grant would be equal to 4 semesters or an equal number of trimesters or quarters.
· For a student who attended school for 5 semesters, a grant would be equal to 3 semesters or an equal number of trimesters or quarters.
· For a student who attended high school for 6 semesters, a grant would be equal to 2 semesters or an equal number of trimesters or quarters.
· For a student who attended high school for 7 semesters, a grant would be equal to 1 semester or an equal number of trimesters or quarters.
· A student who graduated from or attended high school for 8 or more semesters would not receive a grant.
Notice to Grant Authority
After the postsecondary institution’s period for dropping or adding courses in the program per semester, trimester, or quarter, the participating postsecondary institution would be required to provide written notice to the authority of the amount of eligible charges for the program in which the student is enrolled. The authority would be required to make the grant payment within 30 days of receiving the notice. In addition, the institution shall not charge the student or the authority with a late fee for a grant in compliance with the institution’s drop or add period.
Notice to Student of Costs
Within a reasonable time after registration, an eligible postsecondary institution would be required to send written notice to the student and his or her former school district indicating the program in which the student is enrolled. The participating postsecondary institution would be required to notify the student of tuition, fees, books, materials and other related charges in the customary manner used by the institution. Students are responsible for costs that exceed the amount of the grant.
GPA Requirement
If the student did not maintain a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 in the preceding semester, trimester, or quarter, the authority would not be required to pay a grant as prescribed. However, this does not reduce the total number of semesters, trimesters, or quarters for which the student is entitled to receive a grant, nor does it restrict the ability of a student (or any other pupil) to enroll in any postsecondary institution without meeting this requirement. An enrolled student is responsible for payment of the costs that exceed the amount of the grant.
H.S. Diploma from College or University
A participating institution would be required to award a high school diploma to a student who is awarded an associate degree or who has successfully completed four semesters, six trimesters, or eight quarters of courses as a full-time student.
House Bill 5904
The bill would amend Section 1561 of the Revised School Code of 1976 (MCL 380.1561) to exempt a 15-year-old from the compulsory school attendance requirement who is enrolled in a state university or community college under the Michigan Accelerated College Education Act. The bill is tie-barred to House Bill 5903.
FISCAL IMPACT:
House Bill 5903 would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on state and local government. The bill would provide grants of up to half ($3,437) of the basic foundation allowance, which for FY 2005-06 equals $6,875 per year, for up to two years for certain students who begin full-time postsecondary education before completing high school.
There are no data available to determine how many students would participate nor for how many semesters they would be eligible to receive such grants. For each public school student who participates in the program, the school district would forego a foundation allowance for which the statewide average is $7,217. For each public school student that participates, the state would have to pay only for a grant equal to half the basic foundation allowance rather than the full foundation allowance it would have to pay a school district for that student.
There also would be indeterminate additional costs to the state for the implementation and oversight of the program by the Michigan Higher Education Assistance Authority in the Department of Treasury. The Authority would be responsible for making the tuition payment to the postsecondary institution for each eligible student and would have to monitor the progress of each student in the program.
Legislative Analyst: Mark Wolf
Fiscal Analyst: Bethany Wicksall
Mary Ann Cleary
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.