PROGRAM
House Bill 4156
Sponsor: Rep. Samuel Buzz Thomas
Committee: Education
Complete to 2-16-99
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4156 AS INTRODUCED 2-3-99
House Bill 4156 would amend the State School Aid Act to appropriate $16 million during the fiscal year ending September 30, 1999 for grants to eligible school districts that operate the "Success for All" reading program in an at-risk school. The Success for All program would be operated from preschool through grade 5, and would have to be offered in line with the school's educational mission, goals and objectives, and core academic curriculum.
House Bill 4156 specifies that any grant awarded would be for the first year of a three-year project. In order to remain eligible for funding, a district would be required to report the reading progress at each funded school to the department. If a district's report demonstrates progress, a grant could be renewed after the expiration of the three-year period.
Under the bill, an "at-risk" school is defined to mean an elementary school in which at least 50 percent of the students enrolled during the previous year were eligible for free lunch, as reported to the Department of Education. Under the bill, in order for a school district to be eligible for a grant, it would have to operate at least one at-risk school. Further, the district would be required to meet other eligibility criteria that would be developed by the department.
MCL 388.1632
Analyst: J. Hunault