October 30, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Stewart, Hart and Pumford and referred to the Committee on Higher Education.
A bill to amend 1999 PA 94, entitled
"Michigan merit award scholarship act,"
by amending section 7 (MCL 390.1457), as amended by 2002 PA 736.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 7. (1) The Michigan merit award scholarship program is
2 established. The board shall administer the Michigan merit award
3 scholarship program.
4 (2) Subject to subsection (6), each student enrolled in grade
5 11 in or after the 1998-1999 school year who meets the
6 requirements of subsection (4), and subject to adjustment under
7 subsection (5), is eligible for the award of a $2,500.00 Michigan
8 merit award scholarship if the student is enrolled in an approved
9 postsecondary educational institution in this state or in a
10 service academy, or the award of a $1,000.00 Michigan merit award
11 scholarship if the student is enrolled in an approved
1 postsecondary educational institution outside this state other
2 than a service academy, if the board finds that the student while
3 in high school has taken the assessment test in the subject areas
4 of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, or beginning with
5 assessment tests taken by students after the 2003-2004 school
6 year, reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies,
7 and meets 1 of the following:
8 (a) Has received qualifying results in each of the subject
9 areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, or beginning
10 with assessment tests taken by students after the 2003-2004
11 school year, reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social
12 studies.
13 (b) Did not receive qualifying results in 1 or 2 of the
14 subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, or
15 beginning with assessment tests taken by students after the
16 2003-2004 school year, reading, writing, mathematics, science,
17 and social studies, but received an overall score in the top 25%
18 of a nationally recognized college admission examination.
19 (c) Did not receive qualifying results in 1 or 2 of the
20 subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, or
21 beginning with assessment tests taken by students after the
22 2003-2004 school year, reading, writing, mathematics, science,
23 and social studies, but received a qualifying score or scores as
24 determined by the board on a nationally recognized job skills
25 assessment test designated by the board.
26 (3) Subject to subsection (6) and to adjustment under
27 subsection (5), a student who was enrolled in grade 7 in or after
1 the 1999-2000 school year and who the board finds has taken the
2 assessment test in each of the subject areas while in grades 7
3 and 8 is eligible for 1 of the following additional Michigan
4 merit award scholarships:
5 (a) If the board finds that the student while in grades 7 and
6 8 received qualifying results in 2 of the subject areas of
7 reading, writing, mathematics, and science, an additional
8 Michigan merit award scholarship of $250.00.
9 (b) If the board finds that the student while in grades 7 and
10 8 received qualifying results in 3 of the subject areas of
11 reading, writing, mathematics, and science, an additional
12 Michigan merit award scholarship of $375.00.
13 (c) If the board finds that the student while in grades 7 and
14 8 received qualifying results in all of the subject areas of
15 reading, writing, mathematics, and science, an additional
16 Michigan merit award scholarship of $500.00.
17 (4) In addition to the requirements set forth in subsections
18 (2) and (3), to be eligible for the award of 1 or both Michigan
19 merit award scholarships under this section, the board must find
20 that a student satisfies all of the following:
21 (a) The student has graduated from high school or passed the
22 general educational development (GED) test or other graduate
23 equivalency examination approved by the state board.
24 (b) The student graduated from high school or passed the
25 general educational development (GED) test or other graduate
26 equivalency examination approved by the state board within 1 of
27 the following time periods:
1 (i) If the student graduated from high school or passed the
2 test or examination before March 1, 2002, within the 7-year
3 period preceding the student's application to receive his or her
4 Michigan merit award scholarship money.
5 (ii) If the student graduated on or after March 1, 2002,
6 within the 4-year period preceding the date of the student's
7 application to receive his or her Michigan merit award
8 scholarship money, or if the student becomes a member of the
9 United States armed forces or peace corps during this 4-year
10 period and serves for 4 years or less, the 4-year period is
11 extended by a period equal to the number of days the student
12 served as a member of the United States armed forces or peace
13 corps. The board may also extend the 4-year period if the board
14 determines that an extension is warranted because of an illness
15 or disability of the student or in the student's immediate family
16 or another family emergency.
17 (c) The student is enrolled in an approved postsecondary
18 educational institution. For students who qualify under
19 subsection (2)(c), the student is enrolled in a vocational or
20 technical education program at an approved postsecondary
21 educational institution.
22 (d) The student has not been convicted of a felony involving
23 an assault, physical injury, or death.
24 (e) The student satisfies any additional eligibility
25 requirements established by the board.
26 (5) In any fiscal year, the board may adjust the amount of a
27 Michigan merit award scholarship available to students eligible
1 under 1 or more of subsections (2), (3), and (9), based upon its
2 determination of available resources and amounts appropriated,
3 but the board shall not increase an amount by more than 5% in any
4 fiscal year. The board shall notify the governor, the speaker of
5 the house of representatives, and the majority leader of the
6 senate in writing at least 30 days before an adjustment under
7 this subsection.
8 (6) For assessment tests administered after January 1, 2000,
9 the board shall not use the assessment test to determine
10 eligibility for a Michigan merit award scholarship under this
11 section for a particular year unless the board has reviewed and
12 approved the assessment test before it was administered for that
13 year.
14 (7) The board shall provide each student written notice of
15 whether or not the student is eligible for the award of 1 or more
16 Michigan merit award scholarships described in this section. If
17 the student is eligible, the written notice shall also contain
18 the Michigan merit award scholarship amount for which the student
19 is eligible, how the student applies for payment of Michigan
20 merit award scholarship, and any other information the board
21 considers necessary regarding qualification requirements or
22 conditions relating to the use of the Michigan merit award
23 scholarship.
24 (8) It is the intent of the legislature that the level of
25 student performance required to achieve qualifying results in a
26 subject area of an assessment test remains approximately the
27 same, and that the board not reduce the required level of student
1 performance as a means of increasing the number of Michigan merit
2 award scholarships awarded.
3 (9) If a student who has previously received a $1,000.00
4 Michigan merit award scholarship as a student enrolled in an
5 approved postsecondary educational institution outside of this
6 state other than a service academy enrolls in an approved
7 postsecondary educational institution in this state and meets the
8 requirements of subsection (4), and subject to adjustment under
9 subsection (5), the student is eligible for the award of an
10 additional $1,500.00 Michigan merit award scholarship.
11 (10) A pupil who does not initially receive qualifying
12 results shall be extended an opportunity to achieve the requisite
13 qualifying results by taking a subsequent assessment test.
14 (11) A nonpublic school student or home school student may
15 take, and the board shall administer if requested, an assessment
16 test at a site designated by the board.
17 (12) As used in this section, "social studies" means that
18 term as defined in section 1279 of the revised school code, 1976
19 PA 451, MCL 380.1279.