Sec. 61b.
(1) From the appropriation in section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $10,000,000.00 for 2015-2016 for CTE early/middle college programs authorized under this section. The purpose of these programs is to increase the number of Michigan residents with high-quality degrees or credentials, and to increase the number of students who are college and career ready upon high school graduation.
(2) From the funds allocated under subsection (1), an amount as determined under this subsection shall be allocated to each intermediate district serving as a fiscal agent for state-approved CTE early/middle college programs in each of the prosperity regions and subregions identified by the department. An intermediate district shall not use more than 5% of the funds allocated under this subsection for administrative costs for serving as the fiscal agent.
(3) To be an eligible fiscal agent, an intermediate district must agree to do all of the following in a form and manner determined by the department:
(a) Distribute funds to eligible CTE early/middle college programs in a prosperity region or subregion as described in this section.
(b) Collaborate with the talent district career council that is located in the prosperity region or subregion to develop a regional strategic plan under subsection (4) that aligns CTE programs and services into an efficient and effective delivery system for high school students.
(c) Implement a regional process to rank career clusters in the prosperity region or subregion as described under subsection (4). Regional processes shall be approved by the department before the ranking of career clusters.
(d) Report CTE early/middle college program and student data and information as prescribed by the department.
(4) A regional strategic plan must be approved by the talent district career council before submission to the department. A regional strategic plan shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
(a) An identification of regional employer need based on a ranking of all career clusters in the prosperity region or subregion ranked by 10-year job openings projections and median wage for each standard occupational code in each career cluster as obtained from the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Standard occupational codes within high-ranking clusters also may be further ranked by median wage. The rankings shall be reviewed by the talent district career council located in the prosperity region or subregion and modified if necessary to accurately reflect employer demand for talent in the prosperity region or subregion. These career cluster rankings shall be determined and updated once every 3 years.
(b) An identification of educational entities in the prosperity region or subregion that will provide eligible CTE early/middle college programs including districts, intermediate districts, postsecondary institutions, and noncredit occupational training programs leading to an industry-recognized credential.
(c) A strategy to inform parents and students of CTE early/middle college programs in the prosperity region or subregion.
(d) Any other requirements as defined by the department.
(5) An eligible CTE early/middle college program is a 5-year high school program that meets all of the following:
(a) Has been identified in the highest 5 career cluster rankings in any of the 10 regional strategic plans jointly approved by the Michigan talent investment agency in the department of talent and economic development and the department.
(b) Has a coherent sequence of courses that will allow a student to earn a high school diploma and achieve at least 1 of the following in a specific career cluster:
(i) An associate degree.
(ii) An industry-recognized technical certification approved by the Michigan talent investment agency in the department of talent and economic development.
(iii) Up to 60 transferable college credits.
(iv) Participation in a registered apprenticeship.
(c) Is aligned with the Michigan merit curriculum.
(d) Has an articulation agreement with at least 1 postsecondary institution that provides students with opportunities to receive postsecondary credits during the student's participation in the CTE early/middle college program and transfers those credits to the postsecondary institution upon completion of the CTE early/middle college program.
(e) Provides instruction that is supervised, directed, or coordinated by an appropriately certificated CTE teacher or, for concurrent enrollment courses, a postsecondary faculty member.
(f) Provides for highly integrated student support services that include at least the following:
(i) Teachers as academic advisors.
(ii) Supervised course selection.
(iii) Monitoring of student progress and completion.
(iv) Career planning services provided by a local one-stop service center as described in the Michigan works one-stop service center system act, 2006 PA 491, MCL 408.111 to 408.135, or by a high school counselor or advisor.
(g) Has courses that are taught on a college campus, are college courses offered at the high school and taught by college faculty, or are courses taught in combination with online instruction.
(6) Funds to eligible CTE early/middle college programs shall be distributed as follows:
(a) The department shall calculate statewide average CTE costs per full-time equated pupil for each career cluster by dividing total prior year statewide costs for each career cluster by prior year full-time equated pupils for each career cluster.
(b) Distribution to each eligible CTE early/middle college program shall be the product of 50% of CTE costs per full-time equated pupil times the current year full-time equated pupil enrollment of each career cluster in an eligible CTE early/middle college program.
(7) In order to receive funds under this section, a CTE early/middle college program shall furnish to the intermediate district that is the fiscal agent identified in subsection (1), in a form and manner determined by the department, all information needed to administer this program and meet federal reporting requirements; shall allow the department or the department's designee to review all records related to the program for which it receives funds; and shall reimburse the state for all disallowances found in the review, as determined by the department.
(8) Funds distributed under this section may be used to fund program expenditures that would otherwise be paid from foundation allowances. A program provider shall not use more than 5% of the funds allocated under this section to the program for administrative costs.
(9) If the allocation under subsection (1) is insufficient to fully fund payments as otherwise calculated under this section, the department shall prorate payments under this section on an equal percentage basis.
(10) If pupils enrolled in a career cluster in an eligible CTE early/middle college program qualify to be reimbursed under this section, those pupils continue to qualify for reimbursement until graduation, even if the career cluster is no longer identified as being in the highest 5 career cluster rankings.
(11) As used in this section:
(a) "Allowable costs" means those costs directly attributable to the program as jointly determined by the Michigan talent investment agency and the department.
(b) "CTE" means career and technical education.
(c) "Talent district career council" means an advisory council to the local workforce development boards located in a prosperity region consisting of educational, employer, labor, and parent representatives.
History: Add. 2015, Act 85, Eff. Oct. 1, 2015
Last modified: October 10, 2016