The At-Risk Student Success Program was first authorized as a grant in the 1989-90 community college appropriation act (Public Act 175 of 1989). The original purpose of this grant was to assist community colleges in providing services to at-risk students. The permitted uses of the grant expanded in fiscal year 1996 however. At that time utilization of grant funds could also be used for the acquisition, enhancement, or upgrade of equipment and software related to telecommunications, computer systems, or other technologies for use by students, faculty or administrators. The expanded use of the funds continues to the present year.

Grant funds for fiscal year 2001 were to be used to address the special needs of at-risk students or for equipment or upgrade of information technology hardware or software. Activities related to services provided to at-risk students included, but were not limited to pretesting for academic ability, counseling contacts, and special programs. Equipment or information technology hardware or software purchased need not have been associated with the operation of a program designed to address the needs of at-risk students.

The definition of an at-risk student has also changed. The original definition, lasting only the first year, was:

Students referred to the community or junior colleges under 1 of more of the following

state programs:

(a) MJOB-Retrain (this was a state-funded job retraining program)

(b) Tuition Incentive Program (TIP)

(c) Michigan opportunity skills training (MOST)

(d) Job start

Beginning the second year of the program, and continuing to the present, an at-risk student is defined as:

Students who meet 1 or more of the following criteria:

(a) Are initially placed in 1 or more developmental courses as a result of standardized testing or as a result of failure to make satisfactory academic progress.

(b) Are diagnosed as learning disabled.

(c) Require English as a second language (ESL) assistance.

The colleges are required to provide information to the state regarding the use of the At-Risk grant funds. This

report is a summary of that information. Questions regarding this report should be directed to the Michigan

Department of Career Development or to the contact person at each community college.

All reports are listed by year below: