September 9, 2004, Introduced by Senator EMERSON and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
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) and to adjustment under
5 subsection (5), each student enrolled in grade 11 in or after the
6 1998-1999 school year who meets the requirements of subsection
7 (4) , and subject to
adjustment under subsection (5), and this
8 subsection is eligible for the award of a $2,500.00 Michigan
9 merit award scholarship if the student is enrolled in an approved
10 postsecondary educational institution in this state or in a
11 service academy. ,
or Subject to subsection (6) and to
1 adjustment under subsection (5), each student enrolled in grade
2 11 in or after the 1998-1999 school year, who graduated from high
3 school before the 2004-2005 school year, and who meets the
4 requirements of subsection (4) and this subsection is eligible
5 for the award of a $1,000.00 Michigan merit award scholarship if
6 the student is enrolled in an approved postsecondary educational
7 institution outside this
state other than a service academy. ,
8 if the board finds For eligibility under this subsection, the
9 board must find that the student while in high school has taken
10 the assessment test in the subject areas of reading, writing,
11 mathematics, and science
and meets met 1 of the following:
12 (a) Has received Received
qualifying results in each of the
13 subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science.
14 (b) Did not receive qualifying results in 1 or 2 of the
15 subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, but
16 received an overall score in the top 25% of a nationally
17 recognized college admission examination.
18 (c) Did not receive qualifying results in 1 or 2 of the
19 subject areas of reading, writing, mathematics, and science, but
20 received a qualifying score or scores as determined by the board
21 on a nationally recognized job skills assessment test designated
22 by the board.
23 (3) Subject to subsection (6) and to adjustment under
24 subsection (5), a student who was enrolled in grade 7 in or after
25 the 1999-2000 school year,
and who the board finds has taken
26 the assessment test in each of the subject areas while in grades
27 7 and 8, and who is either enrolled in an approved postsecondary
1 educational institution in this state or in a service academy, or
2 is enrolled in an approved postsecondary educational institution
3 outside this state other than a service academy and graduated
4 from high school before the 2004-2005 school year, is eligible
5 for 1 of the following additional Michigan merit award
6 scholarships:
7 (a) If the board finds that the student while in grades 7 and
8 8 received qualifying results in 2 of the subject areas of
9 reading, writing, mathematics, and science, an additional
10 Michigan merit award scholarship of $250.00.
11 (b) If the board finds that the student while in grades 7 and
12 8 received qualifying results in 3 of the subject areas of
13 reading, writing, mathematics, and science, an additional
14 Michigan merit award scholarship of $375.00.
15 (c) If the board finds that the student while in grades 7 and
16 8 received qualifying results in all of the subject areas of
17 reading, writing, mathematics, and science, an additional
18 Michigan merit award scholarship of $500.00.
19 (4) In addition to the requirements set forth in subsections
20 (2) and (3), to be eligible for the award of 1 or both Michigan
21 merit award scholarships under this section, the board must find
22 that a student satisfies all of the following:
23 (a) The student has graduated from high school or passed the
24 general educational development (GED) test or other graduate
25 equivalency examination approved by the state board.
26 (b) The student graduated from high school or passed the
27 general educational development (GED) test or other graduate
1 equivalency examination approved by the state board within 1 of
2 the following time periods:
3 (i) If the student graduated from high school or passed the
4 test or examination before March 1, 2002, within the 7-year
5 period preceding the student's application to receive his or her
6 Michigan merit award scholarship money.
7 (ii) If the student graduated on or after March 1, 2002,
8 within the 4-year period preceding the date of the student's
9 application to receive his or her Michigan merit award
10 scholarship money, or if the student becomes a member of the
11 United States armed forces or peace corps during this 4-year
12 period and serves for 4 years or less, the 4-year period is
13 extended by a period equal to the number of days the student
14 served as a member of the United States armed forces or peace
15 corps. The board may also extend the 4-year period if the board
16 determines that an extension is warranted because of an illness
17 or disability of the student or in the student's immediate family
18 or another family emergency.
19 (c) The student is enrolled in an approved postsecondary
20 educational institution. For students who qualify under
21 subsection (2)(c), the student is enrolled in a vocational or
22 technical education program at an approved postsecondary
23 educational institution.
24 (d) The student has not been convicted of a felony involving
25 an assault, physical injury, or death.
26 (e) The student satisfies any additional eligibility
27 requirements established by the board.
1 (5) In any fiscal year, the board may adjust the amount of a
2 Michigan merit award scholarship available to students eligible
3 under 1 or more of subsections (2), (3), and (9), based upon its
4 determination of available resources and amounts appropriated,
5 but the board shall not increase an amount by more than 5% in any
6 fiscal year. The board shall notify the governor, the speaker of
7 the house of representatives, and the majority leader of the
8 senate in writing at least 30 days before an adjustment under
9 this subsection.
10 (6) For assessment tests administered after January 1, 2000,
11 the board shall not use the assessment test to determine
12 eligibility for a Michigan merit award scholarship under this
13 section for a particular year unless the board has reviewed and
14 approved the assessment test before it was administered for that
15 year.
16 (7) The board shall provide each student written notice of
17 whether or not the student is eligible for the award of 1 or more
18 Michigan merit award scholarships described in this section. If
19 the student is eligible, the written notice shall also contain
20 the Michigan merit award scholarship amount for which the student
21 is eligible, how the student applies for payment of Michigan
22 merit award scholarship, and any other information the board
23 considers necessary regarding qualification requirements or
24 conditions relating to the use of the Michigan merit award
25 scholarship.
26 (8) It is the intent of the legislature that the level of
27 student performance required to achieve qualifying results in a
1 subject area of an assessment test remains approximately the
2 same, and that the board not reduce the required level of student
3 performance as a means of increasing the number of Michigan merit
4 award scholarships awarded.
5 (9) If a student who has previously received a $1,000.00
6 Michigan merit award scholarship as a student enrolled in an
7 approved postsecondary educational institution outside of this
8 state other than a service academy enrolls in an approved
9 postsecondary educational institution in this state and meets the
10 requirements of subsection (4), and subject to adjustment under
11 subsection (5), the student is eligible for the award of an
12 additional $1,500.00 Michigan merit award scholarship.
13 (10) A pupil who does not initially receive qualifying
14 results shall be extended an opportunity to achieve the requisite
15 qualifying results by taking a subsequent assessment test.
16 (11) A nonpublic school student or home school student may
17 take, and the board shall administer if requested, an assessment
18 test at a site designated by the board.