NO DUAL ENROLLMENT FOR 5^th YEAR STUDENTS

House Bills 4143 and 4144

Sponsor:  Rep. John Moolenaar

1^st  Committee:  Education

2^nd Committee:  Higher Education and Career Preparation

Complete to 2-25-05

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILLS 4143 AND 4144 AS INTRODUCED 2-2-05

The bills would amend the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act and the Career Technical Preparation Act, respectively, in order to make a student who had been in high school for more than four years ineligible for participation.

For the purposes of determining whether a student had been enrolled for more than four years, a student would not be considered to be enrolled in high school for a school year if he or she was enrolled for less than 90 days of the school year due to illness or other circumstances beyond the control of the student or the student's parent or guardian.

Under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act (MCL 388.513), eligible high school students can dual-enroll in high school courses and in postsecondary courses under certain conditions.  The act is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Education.

Under the Career Technical Preparation Act (MCL 388.1903), an eligible high school student can enroll in certain courses offered by a career and technical preparation program at a postsecondary institution with some or all of the cost paid for by the home school district.  The act is under the jurisdiction of the Department of Labor and Economic Growth.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Under the Revised School Code, students are eligible for a fifth year of high school if they have not met the graduation requirements to obtain a high school diploma.  A student that is in the fifth year of high school would be eligible to participate in dual enrollment under section 21b of the School Aid Act, which allows a student’s foundation grant to be used for tuition and fees if the student is attending a postsecondary institution or a career and technical preparation program.  House Bills 4143 and 4144 would change this to prevent fifth-year high school students from participating in dual enrollment.  However, those students would still eligible to attend high school to finish their courses to obtain a high school diploma.  This legislation would most likely result in the students being counted as a partial FTE, saving the state a portion of the student’s foundation allowance and providing a small savings to the school aid fund.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   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.