Democratic tuition grant program draws fire

By JON GASKELL
Capital News Service
LANSING– Senate Democrats are pushing a proposal that would provide tuition grants for in-state public university and community college students who attend Michigan schools from kindergarten through 12th grade. Students who attend Michigan public, private, charter or home schools from kindergarten through high school would be eligible for the grants. Those who go to schools elsewhere would be eligible for a portion of the grants based on time spent in Michigan schools. The annual grants would be equal to the median tuition of Michigan’s public universities, currently $9,575 a year. Democrats are drafting legislation for both the House and Senate and expect to introduce it in coming weeks.