Bill Text: MI HB5466 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Higher education; financial aid; early childhood educators scholarship program; provide for. Creates new act.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-31 - Bill Electronically Reproduced 01/30/2018 [HB5466 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2017-HB5466-Introduced.html

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HOUSE BILL No. 5466

 

 

January 30, 2018, Introduced by Reps. Lasinski, Ellison, Greig, Sowerby, Pagan, Sneller, Gay-Dagnogo, Love, Brinks, Geiss, LaGrand, Guerra, Garrett, Cambensy, Hertel, Hoadley, Moss, Chang, Liberati, Camilleri, Green, Wittenberg, Durhal, Rabhi, Cochran, Faris, Jones, Dianda, Neeley, Clemente, Hammoud and Chirkun and referred to the Committee on Appropriations.

 

     A bill to establish an educational scholarship program for

 

certain educators and providers employed in early childhood

 

education and care facilities; to prescribe conditions for

 

repayment of the scholarships in certain circumstances; to provide

 

for the administration of the scholarship program; and to prescribe

 

certain powers and duties of certain state officers, agencies, and

 

departments.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "early

 

childhood educators scholarship act".

 

     Sec. 2. As used in this act:

 

     (a) "Early childhood education or care facility" means a child

care center, family child care home, or group child care home as

 

those terms are defined in section 1 of 1973 PA 116, MCL 722.111.

 

     (b) "Eligible costs" means tuition and fees charged by an

 

eligible institution for an eligible program; related costs for

 

room, board, books, supplies, and transportation; and other related

 

costs determined by the office of great start.

 

     (c) "Eligible employment" means employment at an hourly wage

 

of not more than $17.00 per hour for an average of at least 40

 

weeks per year and 25 hours per week as an educator or provider in

 

an early childhood education or care facility.

 

     (d) "Eligible institution" means a degree- or certificate-

 

granting public or independent nonprofit college or university,

 

junior college, or community college in this state.

 

     (e) "Eligible program" means an associate or baccalaureate

 

degree program operated in this state by an eligible institution

 

and approved by the office of great start as appropriate for

 

training in early childhood care, education, or administration.

 

     (f) "Eligible student" means an individual who qualifies for a

 

scholarship under section 4.

 

     (g) "Fund" means the teacher early childhood educators

 

scholarship fund created under section 6.

 

     (h) "Office of great start" or "office" means the office of

 

great start created within the department of education by Executive

 

Reorganization Order No. 2011-7, MCL 388.1281.

 

     Sec. 3. The early childhood educators scholarship program is

 

created, to be administered by the office of great start. The

 

office of great start shall do all of the following:

     (a) Subject to section 4, award scholarships to eligible

 

students under this act pursuant to application procedures

 

established by the office.

 

     (b) Develop the scholarship agreement described in section 4.

 

     (c) Conduct periodic audits of scholarship recipients to

 

enforce the requirements of the scholarship agreement described in

 

section 4 and all other requirements set forth in this act or

 

promulgated by rule under subdivision (e).

 

     (d) Collect repayment of scholarships if required under

 

section 4.

 

     (e) Promulgate rules to implement this act pursuant to the

 

administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to

 

24.328.

 

     Sec. 4. The office of great start shall award a scholarship

 

under this act to an individual only if the office determines that

 

the individual meets all of the following eligibility criteria:

 

     (a) Is a resident of this state.

 

     (b) Does not have a 4-year undergraduate degree.

 

     (c) Has not previously defaulted on any state or federal

 

student loan and does not owe a refund on any previously received

 

state or federal financial aid.

 

     (d) Currently has and has had for at least 1 year eligible

 

employment.

 

     (e) Is enrolled in or has been accepted into an eligible

 

program on a full- or part-time basis.

 

     (f) If he or she has been attending the eligible program, is

 

maintaining satisfactory progress in that program according to the

standards of the eligible institution.

 

     (g) Has entered into a written scholarship agreement with the

 

office of great start in which he or she agrees to all of the

 

following:

 

     (i) To continue serving in eligible employment while attending

 

an eligible program and for 1 year immediately succeeding

 

completion of that program.

 

     (ii) Upon the request of the office, to provide the office

 

with evidence of compliance with the scholarship agreement,

 

including the eligible employment commitment made under

 

subparagraph (i), and any other requirements of this act and any

 

rules promulgated by the office pursuant to this act.

 

     (iii) If the individual fails or refuses to comply with the

 

eligible employment commitment made under subparagraph (i), to

 

repay all or part of any scholarship money received under this act

 

plus interest and, if applicable, reasonable collection fees, in

 

compliance with rules promulgated by the office, including rules

 

that provide for proportionate repayment if a scholarship recipient

 

serves in eligible employment for less than the length of the time

 

required under subparagraph (i) and rules under which a repayment

 

obligation may be reduced or forgiven due to death, disability, or

 

other good cause.

 

     Sec. 5. Subject to appropriation, an eligible student awarded

 

a scholarship under section 4 may receive not more than the

 

following amount of money, as applicable, to be used for eligible

 

costs incurred in connection with attending an eligible program:

 

     (a) $400.00 per semester credit hour at an eligible

institution that is a 4-year college or university.

 

     (b) $250.00 per semester credit hour at an eligible

 

institution that is a junior or community college.

 

     Sec. 6. (1) The early childhood educators scholarship fund is

 

created within the state treasury.

 

     (2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from

 

any source for deposit into the fund, including, but not limited

 

to, amounts repaid to the office of great start on scholarships

 

awarded under this act. The state treasurer shall direct the

 

investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit to the

 

fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

 

     (3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall

 

remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

 

     (4) The department of treasury shall be the administrator of

 

the fund for auditing purposes.

 

     (5) The department of treasury shall expend money from the

 

fund, upon appropriation, only to provide money to the office of

 

great start for scholarships awarded under this act.