The revised State School Aid Act (Public Act 268 of 2008) changes the Michigan Merit Exam (MME) in several ways. Perhaps the change most greatly noticed by students hoping to become eligible for installment payments of the Michigan Promise scholarship is the requirement that schools administer the complete MME once and only once to each student.

Michigan law (Public Act 349 of 2008) now gives students the option of becoming eligible for installment payments by taking the national ACT test. Here's how it works...

The student must FIRST take the complete MME, and obtain MME scores (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) in ALL of the MME subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies. If the student's MME scores are insufficient for installment payments of the Michigan Promise scholarship, the student could then choose to take the national ACT. If the student were to then take the national ACT and score a Composite 21 or higher, the student would become eligible for installment payments, provided the student meets all other eligibility requirements established by the Michigan Department of Treasury.*

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is there a time period in which the student may take the national ACT as an option? - Yes. The student may take the national ACT anytime after taking the complete MME, but before July 1 of the student's high school graduation year.

2. What do you mean by taking the "complete" MME? - If a student takes the MME but does not obtain an MME score (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) in ALL of the MME subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, we don't consider the student as having taken the complete MME.
   There are several reasons why a student's record may not show an MME score (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) in one or more MME subjects. For example, perhaps the student was absent for a portion of the test, or the student used a non-standard accommodation during testing, or the school had a misadministration of the MME, etc.

3. This law went into effect in December 2008. Is it retroactive to earlier in 2008 when some students took the national ACT on their own? - Yes. The option recognizes national ACT tests taken anytime after the student takes the complete MME.

4. Is it retroactive to the Class of 2008? - No. This option is only available to students in the high school graduating Class of 2009 and after.

5. May a student take the national ACT more than once? - Yes, as many times as the student wishes.

6. Who pays the registration fee for taking the national ACT? - The student.
   If the student qualifies for free/reduced lunch under the provisions of the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act, the student may apply through his school's Guidance Counselor for a waiver of the ACT registration fee.

7. May a student's ACT score from his MME be used as the national ACT score for purposes of becoming eligible for installment payments? - No.

8. Is the assessment taken under the provisions of this option the national ACT, or ACT Plus Writing? - It is the national ACT, not "ACT Plus Writing."
   If for some reason, the student wishes to register for "ACT Plus Writing," it will satisfy the provisions of this option. But taking "ACT Plus Writing" is more than what is needed, and is more costly than taking the national ACT alone.

9. When a student registers to take the national ACT, is there a special code the student should use to assure his test results are sent to the Michigan Promise scholarship office in the Michigan Department of Treasury? - No. ACT automatically sends test results to the Michigan Department of Treasury* for every student who lists "Michigan" as their state of residence when registering with ACT.

10. Which students are NOT eligible for this option? - If a student takes the MME but for some reason does not obtain an MME score (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) in ALL of the MME subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, we don't consider the student as having taken the complete MME. Consequently, the student cannot become eligible for installment payments simply by taking the national ACT. The student must FIRST take the complete MME, and obtain MME scores (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) in ALL of the MME subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

11. If a student is not interested in becoming eligible for installment payments, is he required to take the national ACT? - No. Taking the national ACT is not a requirement for installment payments; it is simply an option for the student whose MME scores are insufficient for installment payments. If the student has a score (Level 1, 2, 3 or 4) in ALL of the MME subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, the student already qualifies for the Michigan Promise scholarship, provided the student meets all other eligibility requirements established by the Michigan Department of Treasury.*

12. If a student has an MME score of Level 1 or 2 in ALL of the MME subjects of Reading, Writing, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies, is there a need to take the national ACT? - No. The student is already eligible for installment payments of the Michigan Promise scholarship by virtue of his MME scores.

13. Why an ACT Composite 21 score, and not some other score? - The OEAA psychometric staff conducted three separate analyses to identify the ACT Composite score that would result in approximately the same set of students becoming eligible for installment payments by taking the national ACT as would by virtue of their MME scores alone. After carefully reviewing the psychometric methodology and the conclusions of the OEAA staff, Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan designated an ACT Composite score of 21 as the qualifying score ("cut score"). Mr. Flanagan so notified the Michigan Department of Treasury in February 2009.