Sec. 67.
(1) From the general fund amount appropriated in section 11, there is allocated an amount not to exceed $3,600,000.00 for 2015-2016 for college and career preparation activities. The programs funded under this section are intended to inform students of college and career options and to provide a wide array of tools and resources intended to increase the number of pupils who are adequately prepared with the information needed to make informed decisions on college and career. The funds appropriated under this section are intended to be used to increase the number of Michigan residents with high-quality degrees or credentials. Funds appropriated under this section shall not be used to supplant funding for counselors already funded by districts.
(2) From the amount allocated in subsection (1), an amount not to exceed $3,000,000.00 shall be used for the college access program. The talent investment agency of the department of talent and economic development shall administer these funds in collaboration with the Michigan college access network. These funds may be used for any of the following purposes:
(a) Michigan college access network operations, programming, and services to local college access networks.
(b) Local college access networks, which are community-based college access/success partnerships committed to increasing the college participation and completion rates within geographically defined communities through a coordinated strategy.
(c) The Michigan college advising program, a program intended to place trained, recently graduated college advisors in high schools that serve significant numbers of low-income and first-generation college-going pupils. State funds used for this purpose may not exceed 33% of the total funds available under this subsection.
(d) Subgrants of up to $5,000.00 to districts with comprehensive high schools that establish a college access team and implement specific strategies to create a college-going culture in a high school in a form and manner approved by the Michigan college access network and the Michigan talent investment agency.
(e) The Michigan college access portal, an online one-stop portal to help pupils and families plan and apply for college.
(f) Public awareness and outreach campaigns to encourage low-income and first-generation college-going pupils to take necessary steps toward college and to assist pupils and families in completing a timely and accurate free application for federal student aid.
(g) Subgrants to postsecondary institutions to recruit, hire, and train college student mentors and college advisors to assist high school pupils in navigating the postsecondary planning and enrollment process.
(3) From the amount allocated in subsection (1), an amount not to exceed $600,000.00 shall be used for the purposes of this subsection. The talent investment agency of the department of talent and economic development shall administer these funds in collaboration with the Michigan college access network and the Michigan Virtual University to provide all of the following:
(a) A pilot outreach program to provide information to pupils, parents, and educators on dual enrollment and other opportunities available to high school pupils to earn postsecondary credits, industry-recognized technical certifications, and participation in registered apprenticeships at no cost.
(b) An online career planning tool that meets all of the following:
(i) Helps pupils create educational development plans before starting high school.
(ii) Provides information to pupils allowing them to make more informed choices about career and education options.
(iii) Is available to pupils at no cost.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "college" means any postsecondary educational opportunity that leads to a career, including, but not limited to, a postsecondary degree, industry-recognized technical certification, or registered apprenticeship.
History: Add. 2015, Act 85, Eff. Oct. 1, 2015
Last modified: October 10, 2016