LANSING – A plan proposed by State Representative Gary McDowell (D-Rudyard), which passed the House today, will provide Michigan students greater options by keeping career-training schools open and tuition costs down.
"Our state needs the highly skilled workers that these schools produce," McDowell said. "We must ensure our residents are in a quality learning environment that will prepare them for the high-demand, good-paying jobs of the 21st century. Not all students will fit the mold of a standard curriculum, so it's very important to provide options for our next generation of workers."
A career-training school, or proprietary school, is a privately owned and operated post-secondary school that charges tuition and is organized as either a nonprofit or a profit-making venture primarily to teach vocational or occupational skills.
McDowell's plan would allow these schools to continue to operate and keep their doors open. Otherwise the schools will close down or raise tuition, leaving students with a large tuition increase or without a diploma, teachers without jobs and communities with less revenue.
The plan specifically protects the Great Lakes Boat Building School, which is located in Cedarville in the Les Cheneaux Islands. The school is the only one of its kind in the state that offers students the opportunity to master the craft of building wooden boats. The school is accredited through North Central Michigan College.
"We must offer learning opportunities that will appeal to students and make them want to stay in Michigan to continue their education and employment," McDowell said. "It is important that we monitor these schools to ensure our students are receiving a top-notch education for their hard-earned tuition dollars. Students must be prepared for the jobs that will rejuvenate our state, and this plan ensures the opportunities to learn those skills will be there."