LANSING – Students would be required to attend high school until they are 18 years old, unless their parent or guardian gave consent for them to drop out, under two bills the Michigan House passed Wednesday on 71-37 votes.

Under current law, students are required to attend school until they reach age 16. Proponents of raising the compulsory attendance age argue it’s important to get students to graduate with at least a high school diploma as more 21st Century jobs require more education.

The legislation (HB 4030 and HB 4132 ) would apply to students who turned 14 on or after December 1, 2007 or who were 14 prior to that date but had already entered ninth grade by 2008.

Supporters of the bills argued on the House floor that the measures were the first step in addressing education in the state and that certainly more bills dealing with the high school graduation requirements and providing vocational and career technological skills to students would be next in line.

“We can’t let our young students think that getting an education in this day and age is optional, said Rep. Douglas Geiss (D-Taylor), sponsor of one of the bills.

“Michigan will need a highly educated workforce to be a leader in the 21st Century. Keeping our young people in school longer will help ensure that they become productive members of our workforce and help move Michigan forward.”

But opponents of the bills said increasing the drop out age would not necessarily equate with more students graduating from Michigan high schools.

While no one wants to see students drop out of high school, Rep. Bob Genetski II (R-Saugatuck) said there are cases where students don’t have a strong family structure and are forced by economic circumstance or another reason to drop out.

Genetski said he taught a girl who had to drop out because her mother had lost her job and the girl also had a baby. Students facing drug or substance abuse issues also may have to drop out of school to get those problems taken care of, he said. But in both cases, the students would be criminalized for their behavior.

Rep. David Agema (R-Grandville) said it was premature to vote on what supporters called the “first step,” when “I don’t know what the second, third or fourth steps are.”

Every Democrat save Rep. Fred Miller (D-Mount Clemens) supported the bills; Rep. George Cushingberry Jr. (D-Detroit) was absent from session.

Republicans supporting the measures were Rep. Dick Ball (R-Laingsburg), Rep. Larry DeShazor (R-Portage), Rep. Kevin Green (R-Wyoming), Rep. Joseph Haveman (R-Holland), Rep. Tory Rocca (R-Sterling Heights) and Rep. John Walsh (R-Livonia). House Minority Floor Leader Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) was absent from session.

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