Promise

Following 18 months of deliberations, the Commission on Government Efficiency has submitted its report to the legislature, suggesting a number of proposals aimed at education. Among the nearly 50 suggestions the Commission proposed are: having the state offer $5,000 for the early retirement of any school employee as long as the local district matches the state incentive; allowing the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to forcibly consolidate school districts if the merger saves each of the involved districts at least 5 percent, and the dedication of $300 million from the School Aid Fund to community colleges.

Time for a pause

I remember an article I wrote at the end of my year as president of our association. It was about those few minutes between the end of one school year and the start of the next. It’s that time when you say good-bye to the students and teachers leaving for their summer break, and that awaiting meeting to discuss next year issues. There is that minute or two, without pressure to “get it done” that you get to reflect on the past year.

Well, this is my pause.

Dear Representative Bauer and Committee Members:

Today, Michigan Legislators are facing many difficult, unpopular
decisions. As high school principals who are put between ‘a rock and a hard place’ each day, we empathize with what you are going through.

In 1999, MASSP provided testimony to the Senate as to the critical need for an award system that would provide an incentive for students to take the HS MEAP. MASSP has not wavered in our support of the

State Senate Republicans Propose Steep Spending Cuts, Including Elimination of Michigan Promise Scholarships
Posted by Peter Luke | Lansing Bureau June 16, 2009 21:51PM

LANSING -- Aiming for $1.2 billion in state budget reductions, Senate Republicans this week are pushing through some of the steepest spending cuts in recent memory, including the elimination of the $4,000 Michigan Promise college scholarship.

TRACKING THE STORY
Proposed cuts being taken up in the Michigan Senate this week:
• Elimination of the Michigan Promise scholarships: $140 million
• Cuts in needs-based scholarships: $60 million
• Cut to revenue sharing to cities and townships: $165 million.

On Monday I was with some association directors and the conversation was centered on lack of state dollars. A higher education person shared the Promise Scholarship for the Class of 2009 could be shifting to a needs based program thereby reducing the amount of available scholarship dollars and, the program would likely come to an end after this year.

So, today (Thurs., June 11th) I scheduled a meeting with the Chair of the House Higher Education appropriations committee so to get the facts on the demise of the Promise Award and share this news with our members in an article that is due.

MEMORANDUM

TO: Local and Intermediate School District Superintendents, High School Principals, High School Counselors

FROM:Michael P. Flanagan, Superintendent of Public Schools

DATE: March 4, 2009

SUBJECT: CLARIFICATION ON ACT Qualifying Score to Establish Eligibility for Installment Payments of the Michigan Promise Scholarship

From: MME [mailto:MME@michigan.gov]
Sent: Thu 1/15/2009 9:37 AM
Subject: New Social Studies Requirement for Michigan Promise Scholarship
Pursuant to Public Act 517 of 2008... In addition to all other eligibility requirements, a student who takes the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) in 2009 or after must now also achieve an MME score of Level 1 or 2 in Social Studies to become eligible for installment payments of the Michigan Promise scholarship.

If you have questions about this new requirement, please contact the Michigan Department of Treasury which is solely responsible for administering the Michigan Promise scholarship (call 888-447-2687 toll-free).

Bob Nelson
Michigan Department of Education
Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability

Public Act 517 of 2008

A headline in today's (12/16/08) Detroit News caught a lot of principal's attention. On the budget cutting block is the Michigan Promise (MI Merit Award) Scholarship. Extremely disappointing, but not surprising. I remember setting in the hearing where the "Promise" was being developed. Someone asked how long can we afford to do this and the answer was 2015-2017. But, hopefully the economy will be strong again and we'll be okay.

Well, we're not okay. And, the future doesn't look good.

Michigan may cut students' merit aid College grants face ax as state looks to cut $1B from budget; plan would save up to $200M a year.
Marisa Schultz / The Detroit News, December 16, 2008

The Michigan Promise Grant, which comprises more than 40 percent of the state's student financial aid, may be scrapped starting with the high school class of 2010 as part of an effort to slash more than $1 billion from the state's ailing budget.

Saying it must bow to fiscal realities and a lack of state funding, the board of trustees at Central Michigan University decided Thursday to drop the renowned CMU Promise - that guaranteed students their tuition would not increase for five years - for students enrolling in the fall 2008 class.

The promise would continue for students currently enrolled in the university. But beginning with the class of 2012, when it enters in the fall, tuition rates will be set annually for all students.