MI Promise Scholarship - MASSP Testifies Before Committee

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
Merit/Promise Award. Over the years, the assessment may have changed but the need for the student incentive has not. No Child Left Behind and MI-SAS actually increased the need. 95% of students in each high school must complete the MI Merit Exam; the MI Merit/Promise Scholarship is critical in accomplishing such a high completion rate. Michigan secondary school principals’ adamantly support this award.

For ten years the Merit/Promise award has played a critical role in the high school assessment program. This program is not one more college funding program to those of us leading Michigan’s high schools.

Please, use this important history in your consideration in regard to the future funding of the Michigan Promise Scholarship program.