Senate committee passes legislation to fix Michigan Promise Grant
LANSING - The Senate Education Committee today approved legislation that will help more students receive the Michigan Promise Grant scholarship, said Sen. Randy Richardville.
Currently, only students who graduate from a Michigan high school are eligible, which makes the scholarship out of reach for students who reside in Michigan but attend parochial or other high schools beyond the state line.
"At a time when we are trying to encourage people to invest in Michigan, we need to provide all of the tools possible," said Richardville, R-Monroe. "This scholarship is a way for the state of Michigan to invest in those students who choose to attend college here, with the hope that they will graduate, and in turn, invest their futures in Michigan."
Sen. Richardville heard from many concerned students and parents, including Nicholas Kissof, whose son was one of the students affected by the changes in the program passed by the Legislature last year.
Kissof, of Ottawa Lake, attended the committee hearing and discussed the impact the Michigan Promise Grant will have on his son Kyle's future education plans. Kyle will attend the University of Michigan this fall to study nuclear engineering.
"For six years we have been making decisions about our children's education based on the Michigan Merit Award Scholarship," said Kissof.
"It really shouldn't matter that a student's education did or did not come from a Michigan high school," he added. "We should be rewarding achievement no matter where it is obtained."
The bills will now advance to the full Senate for consideration.
Posted: Thursday, June 21, 2007
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