Bill Text: MI SB0463 | 2023-2024 | 102nd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Education: graduation requirements; completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by pupils; require as condition of graduation. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1278e.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed) 2023-11-02 - Referred To Committee On Education [SB0463 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2023-SB0463-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 463
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1278e.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1278e. (1) Subject to subsection (2), beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, in addition to the requirements under sections 1278a and 1278b, the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy shall not award a high school diploma to a pupil unless either of the following applies to the pupil:
(a) The pupil has submitted the FAFSA to the United States Department of Education.
(b) The pupil's parent or legal guardian, or, if the pupil is 18 years of age or older or is an emancipated minor, the pupil has submitted a parental waiver to the school district or public school academy, through a standard form prescribed by the department, exempting the pupil from the requirement under subdivision (a).
(2) The board of a school district or the board of directors of a public school academy shall exempt the pupil from the requirements in subsection (1) by granting the pupil a hardship waiver if either of the following is met:
(a) The pupil is ineligible to submit the FAFSA.
(b) All of the following are met:
(i) The pupil's parent or legal guardian refuses or cannot sign the parental waiver.
(ii) The pupil is unable to submit the FAFSA as an independent student.
(iii) The pupil agrees to opt out of completing the FAFSA.
(iv) Other than the requirements in subsection (1), the pupil has met all of the requirements for a high school diploma under this act.
(v) A school administrator of the pupil's high school demonstrates to the board of the school district or the board of directors of the public school academy, in a form and manner prescribed by the board or board of directors, that good-faith efforts have been made to assist the pupil or the pupil's parent or legal guardian in meeting the requirement in subsection (1)(a) or (b).
(3) If a student or parent or legal guardian completes a parental wavier under subsection (1)(b) or receives a hardship waiver under subsection (2), the student and parent or legal guardian shall review and certify to the school district or public school academy in which the pupil is enrolled receipt of the informational packet made available to school districts and public school academies under section 1293.
(4) The board of a school district or the board of directors of a public school academy shall ensure that each pupil enrolled in the school district or public school academy receives assistance and information, as applicable, regarding all of the following at least once before grade 12:
(a) The importance of completing the FAFSA for accessing federal, state, institutional, and community-based financial aid to access and complete a college degree or postsecondary certificate.
(b) A list of available state-based financial aid made available through the FAFSA.
(c) How to properly complete and submit the FAFSA, including a breakdown of the information and documentation required for the completion and submission of the FAFSA.
(d) Information regarding the parental waiver described under subsection (1)(b).
(e) The FAFSA timeline and submission deadline.
(f) Definitions of terminology used in the FAFSA.
(g) Submission of the FAFSA directly to schools or scholarship programs.
(h) The process required for properly completing the FAFSA verification process.
(5) By July 15, 2025, and each July 15 thereafter, the board of a school district or the board of directors of a public school academy that operates a high school shall report to the department, and the department shall make public and share with CEPI both of the following:
(a) The number of pupils enrolled in the school district or public school academy who submitted a parental waiver described under subsection (1)(b), disaggregated by school.
(b) The number of pupils enrolled in the school district or public school academy who were granted a hardship waiver described under subsection (2), disaggregated by school.
(6) By August 15, 2025, and each August 15 thereafter, for each school district and public school academy that operates a high school, the department of treasury, in consultation with the department, shall include all of the following information on its website:
(a) The percentage of pupils who submitted the FAFSA.
(b) The percentage of pupils who completed the FAFSA.
(c) The percentage of parental waivers submitted under subsection (1)(b).
(d) The percentage of hardship waivers that were granted under subsection (2).
(7) By not later than 2 weeks after the department of treasury posts the information under subsection (6) on its website, the department shall post the same information on its website.
(8) Subject to federal and state privacy laws, the department shall share data with the student financial services bureau within the department of treasury, and the student financial services bureau shall maintain the MiSSG data management system that must include uploaded pupil-level FAFSA data, including, at a minimum, data points of the completed, submitted, or not submitted status; submission date; verification label; missing student signature label; missing parent signature label; and processed date. Before accessing the MiSSG data management system, the board of a school district or the board of directors of a public school academy shall ensure that both of the following are met:
(a) A school administrator shall submit a data user agreement to the student financial services bureau within the department of treasury and shall annually resubmit a data user agreement to maintain access to the system.
(b) A school administrator shall designate at least 1 authorized high school user to access the system.
(9) As used in this section:
(a) "CEPI" means the center for educational performance and information created in section 94a of the state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1694a.
(b) "FAFSA" means the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
(c) "MiSSG data management system" means the department of treasury's Michigan student scholarships and grants data management system designed for access by pupils, authorized high school users, and financial aid administrators.
