March 22, 2006, Introduced by Reps. Hoogendyk, Pastor, Garfield, Gosselin, Drolet, Sheen, Kooiman, Stahl and Palmer and referred to the Committee on Government Operations.
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
postsecondary educational institutions 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 and mandatory course
fees, material fees, and registration fees required by an eligible
postsecondary institution for enrollment in an eligible program.
Eligible charges also include any late fees charged by an eligible
postsecondary institution 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 postsecondary institution" means a state
university or community college that chooses to comply with this
act.
(e) "Eligible program" means a program of study offered by an
eligible postsecondary institution leading to a bachelor degree or
associate degree.
(f) "Eligible student" means an individual who meets the
eligibility requirements described in section 5(1).
(g) "School district" means that term as defined in section 6
of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.6, a local act
school district as defined in section 5 of the revised school code,
1976 PA 451, MCL 380.5, or a public school academy organized under
part 6a of the revised school code, 1976 PA 451, MCL 380.501 to
380.507.
(h) "State university" means a state institution of higher
education described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the
state constitution of 1963.
Sec. 5. (1) An individual who meets all of the following may
attend an eligible postsecondary institution without completing
high school:
(a) He or she 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
under this act.
(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 the high school described in subdivision
(a) 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 eligible
postsecondary institution as a full-time student in an eligible
program.
(2) Upon request by an eligible student or an eligible
postsecondary institution, the school district in which the
eligible student attended high school shall provide to the eligible
student, the authority, and the eligible postsecondary institution
a letter signed by the student's high school principal indicating
the student's eligibility under subsection (1)(a) and (c).
Sec. 7. (1) An eligible student shall receive a grant from the
authority, payable directly to the eligible postsecondary
institution, for the number of semesters, trimesters, or quarters
of full-time enrollment at that postsecondary institution
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, 25%.
(b) If the eligible program in which the student is enrolled
is conducted in trimesters, 16.67%.
(c) If the eligible program in which the student is enrolled
is conducted in quarters, 12.5%.
(2) The following are the maximum number of semesters,
trimesters, or quarters of full-time enrollment at an eligible
postsecondary institution 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, 4 semesters or an equivalent number of trimesters
or quarters.
(b) For an eligible student who attended high school for 5
semesters, 3 semesters or an equivalent number of trimesters or
quarters.
(c) For an eligible student who attended high school for 6
semesters, 2 semesters or an equivalent number of trimesters or
quarters.
(d) For an eligible student who attended high school for 7
semesters, 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 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 the
eligible postsecondary institution 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 postsecondary
institution without meeting this act.
Sec. 9. (1) Unless otherwise agreed between an eligible
postsecondary institution and the authority, after the expiration
of the postsecondary institution'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 eligible postsecondary institution 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) An eligible postsecondary institution 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
postsecondary institution.
(3) Within a reasonable time after registration, an eligible
postsecondary institution shall send written notice to an eligible
student and his or her former school district indicating the
eligible program in which the eligible student is enrolled. The
eligible postsecondary institution shall notify the eligible
student about tuition, fees, books, materials, and other related
charges, as determined by the eligible postsecondary institution,
in the customary manner used by the eligible postsecondary
institution, 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. An eligible postsecondary institution shall award a
high school diploma to an eligible student who is awarded an
associate degree or successfully completes 4 semesters, 6
trimesters, or 8 quarters, as applicable, of courses as a full-time
student at that postsecondary institution.
Enacting section 1. This act does not take effect unless
Senate Bill No. _____ or House Bill No. 5904(request no. 05879'06
a) of the 93rd Legislature is enacted into law.