SENATE BILL No. 709

 

 

September 28, 2011, Introduced by Senator EMMONS and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 2000 PA 258, entitled

 

"Career and technical preparation act,"

 

by amending the title and sections 4, 7, 9, 10, and 11 (MCL

 

388.1904, 388.1907, 388.1909, 388.1910, and 388.1911), section 9 as

 

amended by 2004 PA 592.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

TITLE

 

     An act to establish career and technical preparation

 

enrollment options for certain students; enrolled in Michigan

 

schools; to prescribe certain duties of public schools, certain

 

nonpublic schools, and certain postsecondary institutions; to

 

prescribe certain powers and duties of certain state departments,

 

officials, and agencies; and to repeal acts and parts of acts.

 

     Sec. 4. (1) Upon request by the eligible student, the school

 

district or state approved nonpublic school in which an eligible


 

student is enrolled shall provide to the eligible student a letter

 

signed by the student's principal indicating the student's

 

eligibility under this act. For a home-schooled child, the child's

 

parent or legal guardian may supply this letter.

 

     (2) An eligible student may apply to a career and technical

 

preparation program to enroll in 1 or more eligible courses offered

 

by that career and technical preparation program and, if accepted,

 

may enroll in 1 or more of those courses.

 

     (3) Within for an eligible student enrolled in a school

 

district, within a reasonable time after registration, the career

 

and technical preparation program shall send written notice to the

 

eligible student and his or her school district. For an eligible

 

student enrolled in a state approved nonpublic school, within a

 

reasonable time after registration, the career and technical

 

preparation program shall send written notice to the eligible

 

student and his or her state approved nonpublic school and to the

 

state treasurer. For an eligible student who is a home-schooled

 

child, within a reasonable time after registration, the career and

 

technical preparation program shall send written notice to the

 

eligible student and his or her parent or legal guardian and to the

 

state treasurer. The notice shall indicate the course or courses

 

and hours of enrollment of that eligible student. The career and

 

technical preparation program shall notify the eligible student

 

about tuition, fees, books, materials, and other related charges,

 

as determined by the career and technical preparation program, in

 

the customary manner used by the career and technical preparation

 

program, and shall notify the eligible student of the estimated


 

amount of the eligible charges that will be billed to the school

 

district or state treasurer, as applicable, under subsection (4).

 

     (4) Unless For an eligible student enrolled in a school

 

district, unless otherwise agreed between the career and technical

 

preparation program and the school district, after the expiration

 

of the career and technical preparation program's drop/add period

 

for the course, the career and technical preparation program shall

 

send a bill to the eligible student's school district detailing the

 

eligible charges for each eligible course in which the eligible

 

student is enrolled under this act. For an eligible student who is

 

enrolled in a state approved nonpublic school or who is a home-

 

schooled child, unless otherwise agreed between the career and

 

technical preparation program and the state treasurer, after the

 

expiration of the career and technical preparation program's

 

drop/add period for the course, the career and technical

 

preparation program shall send a bill to the state treasurer

 

detailing the eligible charges for each eligible course in which

 

the eligible student is enrolled under this act.

 

     (5) Upon For an eligible student enrolled in a school

 

district, upon receiving the bill under subsection (4), the school

 

district shall cause to be paid to the career and technical

 

preparation program on behalf of the eligible student an amount

 

equal to the lesser of the amount of the eligible charges or the

 

prorated percentage of the state portion of the foundation

 

allowance paid on behalf of that particular eligible student as

 

calculated under section 20 of the state school aid act of 1979,

 

1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1620, with the proration based on the


 

proportion of the school year that the eligible student attends the

 

career and technical preparation program. A school district may pay

 

more money to a career and technical preparation program on behalf

 

of an eligible student than is required under this act, and may use

 

local school operating revenue for that purpose. The eligible

 

student is responsible for payment of the remainder of the costs

 

associated with his or her enrollment in the career and technical

 

preparation program that exceed the amount the school district is

 

required to pay under this act and that are not paid by the school

 

district. As used in this subsection, "local school operating

 

revenue" means that term as defined in section 20 of the state

 

school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1620.

 

     (6) For an eligible student who is enrolled in a state

 

approved nonpublic school or who is a home-schooled child, upon

 

receiving the bill under subsection (4), the state treasurer shall

 

cause to be paid to the career and technical preparation program on

 

behalf of the eligible student an amount equal to the lesser of the

 

amount of the eligible charges or the prorated percentage of the

 

statewide pupil-weighted average foundation allowance, as

 

calculated under section 20 of the state school aid act of 1979,

 

1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1620, for all school districts for the state

 

fiscal year that begins on October 1 of the academic year of

 

enrollment in the career and technical education program, with the

 

proration based on the proportion of the school year that the

 

eligible student attends the career and technical education

 

program. However, in the calculation of the statewide pupil-

 

weighted average foundation allowance for the purposes of this


 

subsection, if a school district's foundation allowance is above

 

the basic foundation allowance under section 20 of the state school

 

aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1620, then the school

 

district's foundation allowance shall be considered to be the basic

 

foundation allowance. The state treasurer shall use the amount of

 

the statewide pupil-weighted average foundation allowance provided

 

to the state treasurer by the department of education under section

 

4 of the postsecondary enrollment options act, 1996 PA 160, MCL

 

388.514. The eligible student is responsible for payment of the

 

remainder of the costs associated with his or her enrollment in the

 

career and technical preparation program that exceed the amount the

 

state treasurer is required to pay under this act and that are not

 

paid by the state treasurer.

 

     (7) (6) A career and technical preparation program shall not

 

charge a late fee to an eligible student, or a school district, or

 

the state treasurer for a payment that is made in compliance with

 

the timetable prescribed under this act even if the payment would

 

otherwise be considered late by the career and technical

 

preparation program.

 

     (8) (7) A school district, state approved nonpublic school, or

 

the state treasurer may require an eligible student to provide, on

 

a form supplied by the school district, state approved nonpublic

 

school, or the state treasurer, reasonable verification that the

 

eligible student is regularly attending a career and technical

 

preparation course under this act.

 

     (9) (8) If For an eligible student who is enrolled in a school

 

district and is enrolled in an eligible course under this act, if


 

the student does not complete the eligible course, and if the

 

school district has paid money for the course on behalf of the

 

student, all of the following apply:

 

     (a) The career and technical preparation program shall forward

 

to the school district any funds that are refundable due to

 

noncompletion of the course. If applicable, the school district

 

shall then forward to the student any refunded money in excess of

 

the amount paid by the school district for the course on behalf of

 

the student.

 

     (b) The student shall repay to the school district any funds

 

that were expended by the school district for the course that are

 

not refunded to the school district by the career and technical

 

preparation program. If the student does not repay this money, the

 

school district may impose sanctions against the student as

 

determined by school district policy. This subdivision does not

 

apply to a student who does not complete the course due to a family

 

or medical emergency, as determined by the career and technical

 

preparation program.

 

     (10) For an eligible student who is enrolled in a state

 

approved nonpublic school, or is a home-schooled child, and who is

 

enrolled in an eligible course under this act, if the student does

 

not complete the eligible course, and if the state treasurer has

 

paid money for the course on behalf of the student, all of the

 

following apply:

 

     (a) The career and technical preparation program shall forward

 

to the state treasurer any funds that are refundable due to

 

noncompletion of the course. If applicable, the state treasurer


 

shall then forward to the student any refunded money in excess of

 

the amount paid by the state treasurer for the course on behalf of

 

the student.

 

     (b) The student shall repay to the state treasurer any funds

 

that were expended by the state treasurer for the course that are

 

not refunded to the state treasurer by the career and technical

 

preparation program. This subdivision does not apply to a student

 

who does not complete the course due to a family or medical

 

emergency, as determined by the career and technical preparation

 

program.

 

     (11) (9) A school district, state approved nonpublic school,

 

or the state treasurer shall make available to an eligible student

 

enrolled in the school district copies of all correspondence in the

 

possession of the school district, state approved nonpublic school,

 

or state treasurer regarding the eligible student's participation

 

in a career and technical preparation course under this act.

 

Correspondence described in this subsection shall be kept by the

 

school district, state approved nonpublic school, or state

 

treasurer for at least 1 year.

 

     (12) (10) If a school district pays for books for an eligible

 

student for a career and technical preparation course under this

 

section, the books are the property of the school district and

 

shall be turned over to the school district after the eligible

 

student completes the course.

 

     (13) (11) This section does not apply to any career and

 

technical preparation courses in which an eligible student is

 

enrolled in addition to being enrolled full-time in that eligible


 

student's school district, state approved nonpublic school, or home

 

school program; to a career and technical preparation course an

 

eligible student is retaking after failing to achieve a

 

satisfactory grade; or to a course contrary to the eligibility

 

provisions of this act. In determining full-time enrollment in a

 

school district under this act section or a school district's full-

 

time equated membership under the state school aid act of 1979,

 

1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1601 to 388.1772, for pupils a pupil enrolled

 

in a career and technical preparation program under this act, the

 

pupil's enrollment in both the school district and the career and

 

technical preparation program shall be counted as enrollment in the

 

school district and a pupil shall not be considered to be enrolled

 

in a school district less than full-time solely because of the

 

effect of the pupil's enrollment in 1 or more career and technical

 

preparation courses under this act, including necessary travel

 

time, on the number of class hours provided by the school district

 

to the pupil. In determining full-time enrollment in a state

 

approved nonpublic school or home school program under this section

 

for a pupil enrolled in a career and technical preparation program

 

under this act, the pupil's enrollment in both the state approved

 

nonpublic school or home school program and the career and

 

technical preparation program shall be counted as enrollment in the

 

state approved nonpublic school or home school program and a pupil

 

shall not be considered to be enrolled in a state approved

 

nonpublic school or home school program less than full-time solely

 

because of the effect of the pupil's enrollment in 1 or more career

 

and technical preparation courses under this act, including


 

necessary travel time, on the number of class hours provided by the

 

state approved nonpublic school or home school program to the

 

pupil.

 

     (14) (12) This act does not require a school district or the

 

state treasurer to pay or otherwise provide financial support for

 

transportation or parking costs necessary for an eligible student

 

to participate in a career and technical preparation program under

 

this act. A school district, state approved nonpublic school, or

 

the state treasurer is not liable for any injury incurred by an

 

eligible student that is related to transportation necessary for

 

the eligible student to participate in a career and technical

 

preparation program under this act.

 

     Sec. 7. (1) An eligible student who is enrolled in a school

 

district may enroll in, and receive payment by the school district

 

under section 4 4(5) of all or part of eligible charges for, an

 

eligible course under this act for high school credit or

 

postsecondary credit, or both. At the time an eligible student who

 

is enrolled in a school district enrolls in a career and technical

 

preparation course under this act, he or she shall designate

 

whether the course is for high school or postsecondary credit, or

 

both, and shall notify both his or her high school and the career

 

and technical preparation program of that designation. An eligible

 

student taking more than 1 eligible course under this act may make

 

different credit designations under this subsection for different

 

courses.

 

     (2) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (3), an

 

eligible student who is enrolled in a state approved nonpublic


 

school or who is a home-schooled child may enroll in, and receive

 

payment by the state treasurer under section 4(6) of all or part of

 

eligible charges for, an eligible course under this act only for

 

postsecondary credit and may not receive high school credit for the

 

course.

 

     (3) If an eligible student who is enrolled in a state approved

 

nonpublic school or who is a home-schooled child is enrolled in an

 

eligible course that would have been considered a nonessential

 

elective course under Snyder v Charlotte School Dist, 421 Mich 517

 

(1984), then the eligible student may enroll in, and receive

 

payment by the school district under section 4(6) of all or part of

 

eligible charges for, an eligible course under this act for high

 

school credit or postsecondary credit, or both. At the time an

 

eligible student enrolls under this act in an eligible course

 

described in this subsection, he or she shall designate whether the

 

course is for high school or postsecondary credit, or both, and

 

shall notify both his or her high school and the career and

 

technical education program of that designation. An eligible

 

student taking more than 1 eligible course described in this

 

subsection under this act may make different credit designations

 

under this subsection for different courses.

 

     (4) An eligible student shall not audit a course in which he

 

or she is enrolled under this act.

 

     (5) (2) A school district shall grant academic credit to an

 

eligible student enrolled in an eligible course for high school

 

credit under this act if he or she successfully completes the

 

course, as determined by the career and technical preparation


 

program. The amount of high school credit granted by a school

 

district for a course completed under this act shall be determined

 

by the school district.

 

     (6) (3) The high school credits granted to an eligible student

 

under this act shall be counted toward the graduation requirements

 

and subject area requirements of the school district. Evidence of

 

successful completion of each course and high school credits

 

granted shall be included in the eligible student's high school

 

record. Subject to section 444 of subpart 4 of part C of the

 

general education provisions act, title IV of Public Law 90-247, 20

 

U.S.C. 20 USC 1232g, commonly referred to as the family educational

 

rights and privacy act of 1974, a career and technical preparation

 

program shall provide the school district with a copy of the

 

eligible student's grade in each course taken for high school

 

credit under this act. Upon the request of an eligible student, his

 

or her high school record and transcript shall also include

 

evidence of successful completion and postsecondary credits granted

 

for a course taken for postsecondary credit under this act. In

 

either case, the eligible student's high school record and

 

transcript shall indicate that the credits were earned at a career

 

and technical preparation program and identify the career and

 

technical preparation program.

 

     (7) (4) If a student enrolls in a career and technical

 

preparation program after leaving high school, the career and

 

technical preparation program, in accordance with institutional

 

policy, shall award postsecondary credit for postsecondary courses

 

successfully completed by that student for high school credit under


 

this act at that career and technical preparation program. A career

 

and technical preparation program shall not charge a student for

 

credit awarded under this subsection.

 

     Sec. 9. (1) Each school district or state approved nonpublic

 

school shall provide information to all high school students on the

 

career and technical preparation enrollment options under this act,

 

including enrollment eligibility; the programs and types of courses

 

that are eligible for participation; the decision-making process

 

for granting academic credits; an explanation of eligible charges

 

that will be paid by the school district or state treasurer, as

 

applicable, and of financial arrangements for eligible charges and

 

for paying costs not paid for by the school district or state

 

treasurer; eligibility for payment of all or part of eligible

 

charges by the school district or state treasurer, as applicable,

 

under this act; an explanation that, if the student qualifies for

 

payment of all or part of eligible charges by the school district

 

or state treasurer under this act, the school district or state

 

treasurer, as applicable, will pay that support directly to the

 

career and technical preparation program upon being billed by the

 

career and technical preparation program and that the student is

 

not responsible for that payment but is responsible for payment of

 

costs not paid for under this act; available support services; the

 

need to arrange an appropriate schedule; consequences of failing or

 

not completing a vocational career and technical education course

 

in which the eligible student enrolls; the effect of enrolling in a

 

career and technical preparation course on the eligible student's

 

ability to complete the required high school graduation


 

requirements; and the academic and social responsibilities that

 

must be assumed by the eligible student and his or her parent or

 

guardian.

 

     (2) To the extent possible, a school district or state

 

approved nonpublic school shall provide counseling services to an

 

eligible student and his or her parent or guardian before the

 

eligible student enrolls in a career and technical preparation

 

course under this act to ensure that the eligible student and his

 

or her parent or guardian are fully aware of the benefits, risks,

 

and possible consequences of enrolling in the course. The person

 

providing the counseling shall encourage the eligible student and

 

his or her parent or guardian to also use available counseling

 

services at the career and technical preparation program before the

 

quarter or semester of enrollment to ensure that anticipated plans

 

are appropriate. A school district or state approved nonpublic

 

school may provide the counseling required under this section in a

 

group meeting if additional personalized counseling is also made

 

available.

 

     (3) Before enrolling in an eligible course at a career and

 

technical preparation program under this act, an eligible student

 

and his or her parent or guardian shall file with the career and

 

technical preparation program a signed form provided by the

 

eligible student's school district or state approved nonpublic

 

school stating that the student is an eligible student and has

 

received the information and counseling specified in subsections

 

(1) and (2) and that the student understands the responsibilities

 

that must be assumed in enrolling in the course. Upon request, the


 

department shall provide technical assistance to a school district

 

or state approved nonpublic school and to a career and technical

 

preparation program in developing appropriate forms and counseling

 

guidelines for purposes of this section.

 

     Sec. 10. By May 1, 2001, and by March 1 of each school year

 

thereafter, a school district or state approved nonpublic school

 

shall provide general information about the career and technical

 

preparation enrollment options under this act to all pupils in

 

grade 8 or higher.

 

     Sec. 11. (1) Each intermediate school district annually shall

 

collect from each of its constituent school districts and provide

 

to the department of education at the same time that it submits the

 

annual comprehensive financial report required under section 18 of

 

the state school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1618,

 

information for the immediately preceding school year on all of the

 

following:

 

     (a) The amount of money expended by the school district for

 

payments required under this act.

 

     (b) The number of eligible students who were enrolled in the

 

school district and the number of those eligible students who

 

enrolled in 1 or more eligible courses under this act and received

 

payment of all or part of eligible charges under this act, both in

 

the aggregate and by grade level.

 

     (c) The percentage of the school district's enrollment

 

represented by the eligible students described in subdivision (b),

 

both in the aggregate and by grade level.

 

     (d) The total number of courses for which the school district


 

made payment under this act, the number of those courses for which

 

postsecondary credit was granted, the number of those courses for

 

which high school credit was granted, and the number of those

 

courses that were not completed by the eligible student.

 

     (2) Not later than March 1 of each year, the department shall

 

prepare and submit to the house and senate fiscal agencies and the

 

department of technology, management, and budget a summary annual

 

report on the information received under subsection (1). this

 

section. The department of education and state treasurer shall work

 

cooperatively with the department in the preparation of this

 

report.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless all of the following bills of the 96th Legislature are

 

enacted into law:

 

     (a) Senate Bill No. 622.

 

     (b) Senate Bill No. 623.

 

     (c) Senate Bill No. 710.