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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

Board Affirms Goals for 2007-2008
The State Board of Education affirmed the same goals that they have had in previous years:

Two Board Work Groups Created
The State Board of Education will create two work groups.  One will define “excellence in education” and how it should be structured.  The other group will attempt to put a price tag on excellence and suggest ways that it might be financed.

Personal Curriculum Guidelines
A draft of the Personal Curriculum Guidelines was presented to the Board.

The guidance document is designed to assist educators, students, and parents in understanding when and how to use a personal curriculum modification of the Michigan Merit Curriculum. Students, under certain circumstances, are allowed to opt out or reduce some of the requirements of the new high school standards.

The proposed guidelines are currently available online until July 16, 2007 for public review and comment. They are available and can be accessed through the Michigan Department of Education’s High School Website.

Input from the field is encouraged and valued as the feedback from these reviews will be incorporated in the final guideline document.

Awarding Academic Credit in Career and Technical Education, Humanities and Other Delivery Models Guidelines
The State Board of Education received a draft of the standards that require career and technical education (CTE) and academic teachers to collectively determine which parts of each of their respective courses meet the state high school requirements and where the CTE programs need to be supplemented. The draft also requires collaborative teaching among the two groups.

Allowing the required high school academic credits to be offered through CTE courses and other programs that occur outside the usual structure and delivery method was a hallmark of the new Michigan Merit Curriculum.   

New Teacher of the Year Introduced
June Teisan is the new Teacher of the Year.  She will be on leave from her position as a science teacher at Harper Woods Secondary School.  Ms. Teisan will participate in all of the 2007-2008 State Board of Education meetings.  She will also be available to the education community as a presenter and advisor. Michigan ASCD would like to take this opportunity to congratulate June Teisan on this special achievement.

More Charter Schools and School Choice?
Michigan is one of ten states that has been awarded a competitive three-year grant by the U.S. Department of Education to help create new charter schools and expand school choice in the state.  The money comes from the Public Charter Schools Program.  Michigan will receive grant funding over the next three years totaling $21,673,806 and will administer those grants to developers of charter schools.

The grants are awarded to states that have a specific statute authorizing charter schools and a charter school law. Also, preference was given to states that have chartering agencies other than local education agencies that have demonstrated progress in increasing the number of high-quality charter schools, that are held accountable for reaching clear and measurable objectives, and that give public charter schools a high degree of autonomy over their budgets and expenditures.

Funding Shift for High Priority Schools
A partial shift of funding for High Priority Schools will occur in the 2007-2008 school year.  Previously, funding was allocated directly to schools that did not make Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP).  For the 2007-2008 school year, direct allocation will still be given to schools in Phases 3 or above when funding for professional development is focused on improved student achievement.  These funds will continue until the identified schools achieve AYP.
 
Additionally, funding will go to Regional Assistance Grants which will be available to Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) that have High Priority Schools within their boundaries. The aim is to expand the capacity of the eligible ISDs to implement regional assistance for Title I schools.  The ISDs are to provide direct services to the High Priority Schools by providing coaches, mentors, professional development and a Principals’ Fellowship.

Schools Spared 2006-07 Cutbacks
The legislature balanced the state budget for this fiscal school year by borrowing money, making cuts, and delaying payments.  Schools do not know what their budget will be for next year, however, as the legislature is just beginning to tackle that budget.  Part of the problem is that the fiscal year for schools ends June 30, but the fiscal year for the state does not end until September 30. 

2007-2008 State Budget
Currently, a $1.8 billion shortage of revenue is predicted.  Legislatures are looking at a possibility of enacting 1.2 billion in new revenues, 300 million from closing loopholes, and 300 million from cuts as a possible solution.

The following are proposed legislation that will be addressed by either the House or Senate:

HB 4592 would amend the school code to require that school district officials
throughout the state conduct a study to identify opportunities for sharing services

SB 549 would require an intermediate school district, in cooperation with its constituent districts, to adopt a common school calendar.

HB 4506 and HB 4507 would amend the school code and the Michigan Election Law, respectively, to require that school board elections be held in November.  This is for the election of school board members only and does not pertain to mileage or bond elections.

HB 4857 and HB 4858 require that 65% of a school district’s budget goes into classroom instruction.  The problem with this bill is defining all the services that support classroom instruction.

HB 4796 seeks to cap the salaries of school personnel.

SB 548 seeks to lift the state cap on the number of charter schools that can operate in Michigan.

HB 4799 would amend the Public Employees Retirement Act to freeze retirement allowance payments of a retired public school employee if the individual were re-employed in schools directly or indirectly (including third party contracts).  The retirement payments would remain suspended during the period of re-employment.

Joint House Resolution M would repeal term limits and limit the legislative session (part-time legislature).

Retirement and Health Care Reform
The legislature is looking at reforms in both the retirement package for new employees and in the health care of all educational employees.  Michigan ASCD will keep you posted on the progress of these bills as they develop and are amended in the legislature.

National News

House Funding Subcommittee Approves Education Funding Increase of $4.2 Billion
On Thursday, June 7, 2007, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health, Human Services and Education (also known as the LHHS Subcommittee) marked-up the 2008 funding bill for education.  This bill includes an increase of $4.2 billion (7.4%) overall for education.  No Child Left Behind programs receive an overall increase of nearly $2 billion (8.4%).   Title I Grants to LEAs will receive an increase of $1.5 billion (nearly 12%), and Title II Teacher Quality was increased by $300 million (10.4%).  This bill also provides increases for Head Start. 

The next step is for the full committee to consider the bill.