First announced last Thursday, the package — called the Michigan 2020 plan — would provide nearly full-ride tuition grants for students who have spent their entire K-12 education in any Michigan schools including public, private and homeschools.

The annual grants would be equal to the median amount of tuition at the state’s 15 public universities — about $9,500 a year — according to the plan.

While the full grant only would be available for students who spent their entire career in Michigan public schools, smaller grants of yet undetermined amounts would be available for students who spent some time in state lower education.

The plan is based on the Kalamazoo Promise Scholarship, a renowned grant largely funded by anonymous donors that pays full college tuition for graduates of Kalamazoo Public Schools who attended kindergarten through 12th grade there. Students who joined the district later receive partial grants, depending on how long they attended.

Democrats say the plan will allow Michigan to prosper by creating a stronger work force and attracting talent to the state, while Republicans are wary of the burden funding the program could create for Michigan businesses.

“Michigan needs a bold shot in the arm,” asid State Sen. Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing. “In one fell swoop we could go from one of the worst states in higher education (funding) to one of the best.”

The program would be funded by closing what Democrats are calling loopholes in the business tax system. Whitmer said special interests such as oil companies often are exempt from taxes other industries still have to pay.

The Democratic leader is calling for every business with a tax break to come before the Legislature and defend their exemption.

“It’s the ones who have good lobbyists and who have not been paying what everyone else is paying that should have to come forward,” Whitmer said.

Although both chambers and the governor’s seat are controlled by Republicans, the plan is one that could be pushed through with the right political fervor, said Jeff Williams, CEO of Public Sector Consultants, a nonpartisan education research firm in Lansing.

“I do not dismiss the idea as out of hand considering the success the state has seen with the Kalamazoo Promise,” he said. “(But) it will be an uphill battle to get heard. … It’s the closing of some undefined tax loopholes.”

The plan comes as the beginning of a election year, and less than a week before Gov. Rick Snyder will outline his agenda in his second State of the State Address, which can give hints of his budget proposal before it is released Feb. 9.

Michigan universities received a 15 percent cut last year. Higher education funding has been cut 65 percent during the last decade.

“What is clear is that there are an awful lot of students who rack up additional debt,” said State Sen. John Proos, R-St. Joseph. “But the reality is that any program, such as the one that’s been proposed by my democratic colleagues, costs a significant amount of money.”

While Proos said he intends to wait for the specific funding proposal, he said it would need to keep businesses free to prosper so students will be able to find work in state.

“The education expenditures do not benefit the state if the students leave upon graduation,” said CJ Demmer, a member of the MSU College Republicans.