Military affairs: other; high school diploma award for certain women supporting the war effort during World War II; provide for. Amends title of 2001 PA 181 (MCL 35.341 - 35.343) & adds sec. 341a.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Rosemary Bayer and 6 co-sponsors

Allows Michigan school districts to award high school diplomas posthumously or long after to women who left school during WWII to work or support the war effort, via MVAA-approved

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

#education:other #militaryaffairs:other

Summary of SB 1002 (2025-2026) – Michigan

Purpose and intent

The bill amends the state law governing the awarding of high school diplomas by local school district boards.

Its core aim is to recognize and honor women who supported the World War II war effort by permitting, under certain conditions, a diploma to be awarded to those who did not complete high school during World War II due to leaving school to join the workforce or participate in the war effort.

Key provisions and changes

Title and statutory framework: Amends the title of 2001 PA 181 (MCL 35.341–35.343) and adds a new section, 341a.

New eligibility pathway (Sec. 341a): A woman who did not complete high school during World War II may be awarded a high school diploma by the local school district board if:

The woman left high school between December 16, 1940 and December 31, 1946 to join the workforce or to support the war effort.
The woman did not graduate from high school.

Application process: An application for the diploma under this section must be filed in a form and manner prescribed by the Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA).

Who may file on behalf of the applicant: An application may be completed by the applicant’s spouse, brother or sister, children, grandchildren, or any other individual designated by the applicant.

Who is affected

Eligible individuals: Women who left high school during World War II (between 1940 and 1946) to join the workforce or participate in the war effort and who did not graduate.

Local school districts: Boards that award high school diplomas would have the authority to award diplomas under this new provision, pending application approval.

Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency: Responsible for prescribing the form and manner of applications.

Procedural and timeline aspects

Effective date and process are not specified in the text provided; the bill, introduced May 21, 2026, would become law after passage and any necessary gubernatorial approval and timing set by the legislature.

Application timeline is tied to MVAA-created forms and processes.

The bill does not alter existing provisions for World War II veterans or Korean conflict veterans beyond adding a pathway for women who contributed to the war effort.

Practical impact and implications

Recognizes the historical contributions of women who supported the war effort by providing a potential high school diploma years after World War II.

Creates a formal, process-driven pathway via MVAA for eligibility determination and diploma issuance.

May have symbolic and educational value for surviving honorees and their families, as well as for historical acknowledgment of women’s wartime labor.

Summary (in brief)

SB 1002 would authorize Michigan school districts to award high school diplomas to women who left high school during World War II to work or support the war effort and did not graduate, subject to an MVAA-prescribed application process and designated eligible relations to the applicant.