UPDATE: Legislature approved budget and recessed for summer

Update 6/13: On Tuesday, June 12, the Legislature held its final session day prior to the summer break. The education budget passed, as outlined below – including negative language changes impacting partnership schools and districts. Notably on that front, there was recognition by some that the language and structure of the partnership agreement amendments leaves some wiggle room to work with – more on that as MEA experts have a chance to analyze the amendments.

The other major education action on Tuesday was passage of a package of bills about vocational/career/technical education, including HB 5141, which reduced certification requirements for teachers in those programs. While this is still a bad bill, changes to the legislation made it very similar to the rules already enforced around this area by the Michigan Department of Education. Again, more information will be forthcoming when an analysis of the changes is complete.

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Original Story 6/11:

The Legislature is expected to take up the education budget during their session tomorrow. While budget increases are proposed for K-12 schools, community college and universities, last minute policy changes are being proposed for “partnership schools” that will do nothing to help these struggling schools succeed.

Please call or email your state Representative and Senator and urge passage of the funding increases in the School Aid Budget without further education policy changes that can and should be handled separately from the budget process.

Of note, new language added on Thursday would require amendments to existing and any new partnership agreements between school districts and the Michigan Department of Education regarding struggling schools to add measurable academic outcomes and accountability measures. If those outcomes are not met, the school must either close or be “reconstituted” – including replacement of at least 25 percent of the faculty and staff at the school.

Here is an update from MEA’s lobbyists about the state of budget negotiations at the Capitol:

SCHOOL AID BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT

First the good. The foundation allowance had the largest per-pupil increase in over a decade. The conference went with a $312 million overall increase, following the “2x” formula, that amounts to a $120 to $240 increase per-pupil. This makes the minimum foundation allowance $7,871 and the basic $8,409.

Also included was $30 million (transferred from the School Aid Fund) for a new School Mental Health and Support Services Fund, with spending from this fund to be decided later, but much of it for school counselors and social workers. $5 million to encourage districts to enroll students in CTE programs. A $3.5 million increase for adult education, and $500,000 for a new pilot program focused on summer reading.

Now for the bad. New boilerplate language, sec. 22P, was put in that will affect struggling schools under partnership agreements with MDE.

In order to receive funding, a district that has a signed partnership agreement with the Department of Education must amend the partnership agreement to include measurable academic outcomes that will be achieved after 18 months and after 36 months from the date the agreement was originally signed.

Measurable academic outcomes under this subdivision must include outcomes that put pupils on track to meet or exceed grade level proficiency. The amended partnership agreement has to include accountability measures that will be imposed if the district does not achieve the measurable academic outcomes.

Accountability measures are to include either the closure of the school at the end of the current school year or the reconstitution of the school in a final attempt to improve student educational performance.

The amended agreement must include a requirement that if reconstitution is imposed on a school by the Michigan Department of Education, the district shall make significant changes to the instructional and non-instructional programming of the school based on the needs identified through a comprehensive review of data. Also, the district shall replace at least 25% of the faculty and staff of the school and the district shall replace the principal of the school, unless the current principal has been in place for less than 3 years and the board of the district determines that it is in the best interests of the district to retain current school leadership.

There is a limit of 5 years to achieve the goals. If the goals are not achieved within 5 years, the superintendent of public instruction shall either impose a second reconstitution plan on the school or close the school.

There are over 70 traditional public schools across the state under partnership agreements in the following districts: Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Bridgeport, East Detroit, Detroit, Benton Harbor, Saginaw, River Rouge, Pontiac, Battle Creek, Lansing, Baldwin, Ecorse, Flint, and Grand Rapids (plus many charter schools).

HIGHER EDUCATION BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT

For next year there is an average 1.9 percent increase from the state for the 15 public universities. (See conference report for breakdown.)

The budget also includes a list of specific sexual assault prevention and Title IX standards and new requirements for campus safety information and resources.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES BUDGET CONFERENCE REPORT

The 28 community colleges will see an increased average 2.2 percent from the state. (See conference report for breakdown.)

The budget also includes a list of specific sexual assault prevention and Title IX standards and new requirements for campus safety information and resources.