SB-1155, As Passed House, December 8, 2004                                  

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                           HOUSE SUBSTITUTE FOR                                 

                                                                                

                           SENATE BILL NO. 1155                                 

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                

                                                                                 A bill to amend 1979 PA 94, entitled                                              

                                                                                

    "The state school aid act of 1979,"                                         

                                                                                

    by amending sections 31a, 98b, and 104a (MCL 388.1631a,                     

                                                                                

    388.1698b, and 388.1704a), as amended by 2004 PA 351, and by                

                                                                                

    adding section 104b.                                                        

                                                                                

                THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:                      

                                                                                

1       Sec. 31a.  (1) From the money appropriated in section 11,                   

                                                                                

2   there is allocated for 2004-2005 an amount not to exceed                    

                                                                                

3   $314,200,000.00 for payments to eligible districts and eligible             

                                                                                

4   public school academies under this section.  Subject to                     

                                                                                

5   subsection (12), the amount of the additional allowance under               

                                                                                

6   this section shall be based on the number of actual pupils in               

                                                                                

7   membership in the district or public school academy who met the             

                                                                                

8   income eligibility criteria for free breakfast, lunch, or milk in           

                                                                                

9   the immediately preceding state fiscal year, as determined under            

                                                                                


                                                                                

1   the Richard B. Russell national school lunch act, 42 USC 1751 to            

                                                                                

2   1769h, and reported to the department by October 31 of the                  

                                                                                

3   immediately preceding fiscal year and adjusted not later than               

                                                                                

4   December 31 of the immediately preceding fiscal year.  However,             

                                                                                

5   for a public school academy that began operations as a public               

                                                                                

6   school academy after the pupil membership count day of the                  

                                                                                

7   immediately preceding school year, the basis for the additional             

                                                                                

8   allowance under this section shall be the number of actual pupils           

                                                                                

9   in membership in the public school academy who met the income               

                                                                                

10  eligibility criteria for free breakfast, lunch, or milk in the              

                                                                                

11  current state fiscal year, as determined under the Richard                  

                                                                                

12  B. Russell national school lunch act.                                       

                                                                                

13      (2) To be eligible to receive funding under this section,                   

                                                                                

14  other than funding under subsection (6), a district or public               

                                                                                

15  school academy that has not been previously determined to be                

                                                                                

16  eligible shall apply to the department, in a form and manner                

                                                                                

17  prescribed by the department, and a district or public school               

                                                                                

18  academy must meet all of the following:                                     

                                                                                

19      (a) The sum of the district's or public school academy's                    

                                                                                

20  combined state and local revenue per membership pupil in the                

                                                                                

21  current state fiscal year, as calculated under section 20, plus             

                                                                                

22  the amount of the district's per pupil allocation under section             

                                                                                

23  20j(2), is less than or equal to $6,500.00 adjusted by the dollar           

                                                                                

24  amount of the difference between the basic foundation allowance             

                                                                                

25  under section 20 for the current state fiscal year and $5,000.00,           

                                                                                

26  minus $200.00.                                                              

                                                                                

27      (b) The district or public school academy agrees to use the                 


                                                                                

1   funding only for purposes allowed under this section and to                 

                                                                                

2   comply with the program and accountability requirements under               

                                                                                

3   this section.                                                               

                                                                                

4       (3) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, an                     

                                                                                

5   eligible district or eligible public school academy shall receive           

                                                                                

6   under this section for each membership pupil in the district or             

                                                                                

7   public school academy who met the income eligibility criteria for           

                                                                                

8   free breakfast, lunch, or milk, as determined under the Richard             

                                                                                

9   B. Russell national school lunch act and as reported to the                 

                                                                                

10  department by October 31 of the immediately preceding fiscal year           

                                                                                

11  and adjusted not later than December 31 of the immediately                  

                                                                                

12  preceding fiscal year, an amount per pupil equal to 11.5% of the            

                                                                                

13  sum of the district's foundation allowance or public school                 

                                                                                

14  academy's per pupil amount calculated under section 20, plus the            

                                                                                

15  amount of the district's per pupil allocation under section                 

                                                                                

16  20j(2), not to exceed $6,500.00 adjusted by the dollar amount of            

                                                                                

17  the difference between the basic foundation allowance under                 

                                                                                

18  section 20 for the current state fiscal year and $5,000.00, minus           

                                                                                

19  $200.00, or of the public school academy's per membership pupil             

                                                                                

20  amount calculated under section 20 for the current state fiscal             

                                                                                

21  year.  A public school academy that began operations as a public            

                                                                                

22  school academy after the pupil membership count day of the                  

                                                                                

23  immediately preceding school year shall receive under this                  

                                                                                

24  section for each membership pupil in the public school academy              

                                                                                

25  who met the income eligibility criteria for free breakfast,                 

                                                                                

26  lunch, or milk, as determined under the Richard B. Russell                  

                                                                                

27  national school lunch act and as reported to the department by              


                                                                                

1   October 31 of the current fiscal year and adjusted not later than           

                                                                                

2   December 31 of the current fiscal year, an amount per pupil equal           

                                                                                

3   to 11.5% of the public school academy's per membership pupil                

                                                                                

4   amount calculated under section 20 for the current state fiscal             

                                                                                

5   year.                                                                       

                                                                                

6       (4) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a district                

                                                                                

7   or public school academy receiving funding under this section               

                                                                                

8   shall use that money only to provide instructional programs and             

                                                                                

9   direct noninstructional services, including, but not limited to,            

                                                                                

10  medical or counseling services, for at-risk pupils; for school              

                                                                                

11  health clinics; and for the purposes of subsection (5) or (6).              

                                                                                

12  In addition, a district that is organized as a school district of           

                                                                                

13  the first class under the revised school code or a district or              

                                                                                

14  public school academy in which at least 50% of the pupils in                

                                                                                

15  membership met the income eligibility criteria for free                     

                                                                                

16  breakfast, lunch, or milk in the immediately preceding state                

                                                                                

17  fiscal year, as determined and reported as described in                     

                                                                                

18  subsection (1), may use not more than 10% of the funds it                   

                                                                                

19  receives under this section for school security.  A district or             

                                                                                

20  public school academy shall not use any of that money for                   

                                                                                

21  administrative costs or to supplant another program or other                

                                                                                

22  funds, except for funds allocated to the district or public                 

                                                                                

23  school academy under this section in the immediately preceding              

                                                                                

24  year and already being used by the district or public school                

                                                                                

25  academy for at-risk pupils.  The instruction or direct                      

                                                                                

26  noninstructional services provided under this section may be                

                                                                                

27  conducted before or after regular school hours or by adding extra           


                                                                                

1   school days to the school year and may include, but are not                 

                                                                                

2   limited to, tutorial services, early childhood programs to serve            

                                                                                

3   children age 0 to 5, and reading programs as described in former            

                                                                                

4   section 32f as in effect for 2001-2002.  A tutorial method may be           

                                                                                

5   conducted with paraprofessionals working under the supervision of           

                                                                                

6   a certificated teacher.  The ratio of pupils to paraprofessionals           

                                                                                

7   shall be between 10:1 and 15:1.  Only 1 certificated teacher is             

                                                                                

8   required to supervise instruction using a tutorial method.  As              

                                                                                

9   used in this subsection, "to supplant another program" means to             

                                                                                

10  take the place of a previously existing instructional program or            

                                                                                

11  direct noninstructional services funded from a funding source               

                                                                                

12  other than funding under this section.                                      

                                                                                

13      (5) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (11), a                      

                                                                                

14  district or public school academy that receives funds under this            

                                                                                

15  section and that operates a school breakfast program under                  

                                                                                

16  section 1272a of the revised school code, MCL 380.1272a, shall              

                                                                                

17  use from the funds received under this section an amount, not to            

                                                                                

18  exceed $10.00 per pupil for whom the district or public school              

                                                                                

19  academy receives funds under this section, necessary to operate             

                                                                                

20  the school breakfast program.                                               

                                                                                

21      (6) From the funds allocated under subsection (1), there is                 

                                                                                

22  allocated for 2004-2005 an amount not to exceed $3,743,000.00 to            

                                                                                

23  support teen health centers.  These grants shall be awarded for 3           

                                                                                

24  consecutive years beginning with 2003-2004 in a form and manner             

                                                                                

25  approved jointly by the department and the department of                    

                                                                                

26  community health.  Each grant recipient shall remain in                     

                                                                                

27  compliance with the terms of the grant award or shall forfeit the           


                                                                                

1   grant award for the duration of the 3-year period after the                 

                                                                                

2   noncompliance.  Beginning in 2004-2005, to continue to receive              

                                                                                

3   funding for a teen health center under this section a grant                 

                                                                                

4   recipient shall ensure that the teen health center has an                   

                                                                                

5   advisory committee and that at least one-third of the members of            

                                                                                

6   the advisory committee are parents or legal guardians of                    

                                                                                

7   school-aged children.  A teen health center program shall                   

                                                                                

8   recognize the role of a child's parents or legal guardian in the            

                                                                                

9   physical and emotional well-being of the child.  If any funds               

                                                                                

10  allocated under this subsection are not used for the purposes of            

                                                                                

11  this subsection for the fiscal year in which they are allocated,            

                                                                                

12  those unused funds shall be used that fiscal year to avoid or               

                                                                                

13  minimize any proration that would otherwise be required under               

                                                                                

14  subsection (12) for that fiscal year.                                       

                                                                                

15      (7) Each district or public school academy receiving funds                  

                                                                                

16  under this section shall submit to the department by July 15 of             

                                                                                

17  each fiscal year a report, not to exceed 10 pages, on the usage             

                                                                                

18  by the district or public school academy of funds under this                

                                                                                

19  section, which report shall include at least a brief description            

                                                                                

20  of each program conducted by the district or public school                  

                                                                                

21  academy using funds under this section, the amount of funds under           

                                                                                

22  this section allocated to each of those programs, the number of             

                                                                                

23  at-risk pupils eligible for free or reduced price school lunch              

                                                                                

24  who were served by each of those programs, and the total number             

                                                                                

25  of at-risk pupils served by each of those programs.  If a                   

                                                                                

26  district or public school academy does not comply with this                 

                                                                                

27  subsection, the department shall withhold an amount equal to the            


                                                                                

1   August payment due under this section until the district or                 

                                                                                

2   public school academy complies with this subsection.  If the                

                                                                                

3   district or public school academy does not comply with this                 

                                                                                

4   subsection by the end of the state fiscal year, the withheld                

                                                                                

5   funds shall be forfeited to the school aid fund.                            

                                                                                

6       (8) In order to receive funds under this section, a district                

                                                                                

7   or public school academy shall allow access for the department or           

                                                                                

8   the department's designee to audit all records related to the               

                                                                                

9   program for which it receives those funds.  The district or                 

                                                                                

10  public school academy shall reimburse the state for all                     

                                                                                

11  disallowances found in the audit.                                           

                                                                                

12      (9) Subject to subsections (5), (6), and (11), any district                 

                                                                                

13  may use up to 100% of the funds it receives under this section to           

                                                                                

14  reduce the ratio of pupils to teachers in grades K-6, or any                

                                                                                

15  combination of those grades, in school buildings in which the               

                                                                                

16  percentage of pupils described in subsection (1) exceeds the                

                                                                                

17  district's aggregate percentage of those pupils.  Subject to                

                                                                                

18  subsections (5), (6), and (11), if a district obtains a waiver              

                                                                                

19  from the department, the district may use up to 100% of the funds           

                                                                                

20  it receives under this section to reduce the ratio of pupils to             

                                                                                

21  teachers in grades K-6, or any combination of those grades, in              

                                                                                

22  school buildings in which the percentage of pupils described in             

                                                                                

23  subsection (1) is at least 60% of the district's aggregate                  

                                                                                

24  percentage of those pupils and at least 30% of the total number             

                                                                                

25  of pupils enrolled in the school building.  To obtain a waiver, a           

                                                                                

26  district must apply to the department and demonstrate to the                

                                                                                

27  satisfaction of the department that the class size reductions               


                                                                                

1   would be in the best interests of the district's at-risk pupils.            

                                                                                

2       (10) A district or public school academy may use funds                      

                                                                                

3   received under this section for adult high school completion,               

                                                                                

4   general educational development (G.E.D.)  test preparation, adult           

                                                                                

5   English as a second language, or adult basic education programs             

                                                                                

6   described in section 107.                                                   

                                                                                

7       (11) For an individual school or schools operated by a                      

                                                                                

8   district or public school academy receiving funds under this                

                                                                                

9   section that have been determined by the department to meet the             

                                                                                

10  adequate yearly progress standards of the federal no child left             

                                                                                

11  behind act of 2001, Public Law 107-110, in both mathematics and             

                                                                                

12  English language arts at all applicable grade levels for all                

                                                                                

13  applicable subgroups, the district or public school academy may             

                                                                                

14  submit to the department an application for flexibility in using            

                                                                                

15  the funds received under this section that are attributable to              

                                                                                

16  the pupils in the school or schools.  The application shall                 

                                                                                

17  identify the affected school or schools and the affected funds              

                                                                                

18  and shall contain a plan for using the funds for specific                   

                                                                                

19  purposes identified by the district that are designed to benefit            

                                                                                

20  at-risk pupils in the school, but that may be different from the            

                                                                                

21  purposes otherwise allowable under this section.  The department            

                                                                                

22  shall approve the application if the department determines that             

                                                                                

23  the purposes identified in the plan are reasonably designed to              

                                                                                

24  benefit at-risk pupils in the school.  If the department does not           

                                                                                

25  act to approve or disapprove an application within 30 days after            

                                                                                

26  it is submitted to the department, the application is considered            

                                                                                

27  to be approved.  If an application for flexibility in using the             


                                                                                

1   funds is approved, the district may use the funds identified in             

                                                                                

2   the application for any purpose identified in the plan.                     

                                                                                

3       (12) If necessary, and before any proration required under                  

                                                                                

4   section 11, the department shall prorate payments under this                

                                                                                

5   section by reducing the amount of the per pupil payment under               

                                                                                

6   this section by a dollar amount calculated by determining the               

                                                                                

7   amount by which the amount necessary to fully fund the                      

                                                                                

8   requirements of this section exceeds the maximum amount allocated           

                                                                                

9   under this section and then dividing that amount by the total               

                                                                                

10  statewide number of pupils who met the income eligibility                   

                                                                                

11  criteria for free breakfast, lunch, or milk in the immediately              

                                                                                

12  preceding fiscal year, as described in subsection (1).                      

                                                                                

13      (13) If a district is formed by consolidation after June 1,                 

                                                                                

14  1995, and if 1 or more of the original districts was not eligible           

                                                                                

15  before the consolidation for an additional allowance under this             

                                                                                

16  section, the amount of the additional allowance under this                  

                                                                                

17  section for the consolidated district shall be based on the                 

                                                                                

18  number of pupils described in subsection (1) enrolled in the                

                                                                                

19  consolidated district who reside in the territory of an original            

                                                                                

20  district that was eligible before the consolidation for an                  

                                                                                

21  additional allowance under this section.                                    

                                                                                

22      (14) A district or public school academy that does not meet                 

                                                                                

23  the eligibility requirement under subsection (2)(a) is eligible             

                                                                                

24  for funding under this section if at least 1/4 of the pupils in             

                                                                                

25  membership in the district or public school academy met the                 

                                                                                

26  income eligibility criteria for free breakfast, lunch, or milk in           

                                                                                

27  the immediately preceding state fiscal year, as determined and              


                                                                                

1   reported as described in subsection (1), and at least 4,500 of              

                                                                                

2   the pupils in membership in the district or public school academy           

                                                                                

3   met the income eligibility criteria for free breakfast, lunch, or           

                                                                                

4   milk in the immediately preceding state fiscal year, as                     

                                                                                

5   determined and reported as described in subsection (1).  A                  

                                                                                

6   district or public school academy that is eligible for funding              

                                                                                

7   under this section because the district meets the requirements of           

                                                                                

8   this subsection shall receive under this section for each                   

                                                                                

9   membership pupil in the district or public school academy who met           

                                                                                

10  the income eligibility criteria for free breakfast, lunch, or               

                                                                                

11  milk in the immediately preceding fiscal year, as determined and            

                                                                                

12  reported as described in subsection (1), an amount per pupil                

                                                                                

13  equal to 11.5% of the sum of the district's foundation allowance            

                                                                                

14  or public school academy's per pupil allocation under section 20,           

                                                                                

15  plus the amount of the district's per pupil allocation under                

                                                                                

16  section 20j(2), not to exceed $6,500.00 adjusted by the dollar              

                                                                                

17  amount of the difference between the basic foundation allowance             

                                                                                

18  under section 20 for the current state fiscal year and $5,000.00,           

                                                                                

19  minus $200.00.                                                              

                                                                                

20      (15) As used in this section, "at-risk pupil" means a pupil                 

                                                                                

21  for whom the district has documentation that the pupil meets at             

                                                                                

22  least 2 of the following criteria:  is a victim of child abuse or           

                                                                                

23  neglect; is below grade level in English language and                       

                                                                                

24  communication skills or mathematics; is a pregnant teenager or              

                                                                                

25  teenage parent; is eligible for a federal free or reduced-price             

                                                                                

26  lunch subsidy; has atypical behavior or attendance patterns; or             

                                                                                

27  has a family history of school failure, incarceration, or                   


                                                                                

1   substance abuse.  For pupils for whom the results of at least the           

                                                                                

2   applicable Michigan education assessment program (MEAP) test have           

                                                                                

3   been received, at-risk pupil also includes a pupil who does not             

                                                                                

4   meet the other criteria under this subsection but who did not               

                                                                                

5   achieve at least a score of level 2 on the most recent MEAP                 

                                                                                

6   English language arts, mathematics, or science test for which               

                                                                                

7   results for the pupil have been received.  For pupils for whom              

                                                                                

8   the results of the Michigan merit examination have been received,           

                                                                                

9   at-risk pupil also includes a pupil who does not meet the other             

                                                                                

10  criteria under this subsection but who did not achieve                      

                                                                                

11  proficiency on the reading component of the most recent Michigan            

                                                                                

12  merit examination for which results for the pupil have been                 

                                                                                

13  received, did not achieve proficiency on the mathematics                    

                                                                                

14  component of the most recent Michigan merit examination for which           

                                                                                

15  results for the pupil have been received, or did not achieve                

                                                                                

16  basic competency on the science component of the most recent                

                                                                                

17  Michigan merit examination for which results for the pupil have             

                                                                                

18  been received. For pupils in grades K-3, at-risk pupil also                 

                                                                                

19  includes a pupil who is at risk of not meeting the district's               

                                                                                

20  core academic curricular objectives in English language arts or             

                                                                                

21  mathematics.                                                                

                                                                                

22      Sec. 98b.  (1) From the school aid stabilization fund                       

                                                                                

23  created in section 11a, there is appropriated and allocated for             

                                                                                

24  2004-2005 an amount not to exceed $3,700,000.00 for the freedom             

                                                                                

25  to learn program described in this section.  In addition, from              

                                                                                

26  the federal funds appropriated in section 11 there is allocated             

                                                                                

27  for 2004-2005 an amount not to exceed $10,343,200.00 from the               


                                                                                

1   competitive grants of DED-OESE, title II, educational technology            

                                                                                

2   grants funds, and an amount not to exceed $7,000,000.00 from                

                                                                                

3   funds carried forward from 2003-2004 from unexpended DED-OESE,              

                                                                                

4   title II, educational technology grants funds.                              

                                                                                

5       (2) The allocations in subsection (1) shall be used to                      

                                                                                

6   develop, implement, and operate the freedom to learn program and            

                                                                                

7   make program grants.  The goal of the program is to achieve                 

                                                                                

8   one-to-one access to wireless technology for K-12 pupils through            

                                                                                

9   statewide and local public-private partnerships.  To implement              

                                                                                

10  the program, the state education agency shall sign a memorandum             

                                                                                

11  of understanding with the Michigan virtual university that                  

                                                                                

12  provides for joint administration of program grants under this              

                                                                                

13  subsection.   If the Michigan virtual university ceases to                  

                                                                                

14  operate, or fails to perform its functions described in this                

                                                                                

15  section, then  However, beginning January 1, 2005, Ferris state             

                                                                                

16  university shall perform the functions of the Michigan virtual              

                                                                                

17  university under this section and the funds allocated to the                

                                                                                

18  Michigan virtual university under this section are instead                  

                                                                                

19  allocated to Ferris state university.  Not later than January 31,           

                                                                                

20  2005, the state education agency shall enter into a memorandum of           

                                                                                

21  understanding with Ferris state university that provides for this           

                                                                                

22  transfer of functions. The Michigan virtual university or Ferris            

                                                                                

23  state university, as applicable, and the state education agency             

                                                                                

24  shall make grants to districts as described in this section.  In            

                                                                                

25  awarding the grants, the Michigan virtual university or Ferris              

                                                                                

26  state university, as applicable, and the state education agency             

                                                                                

27  shall give priority to applications that demonstrate that the               


                                                                                

1   district's program will meet all of the following:                          

                                                                                

2       (a) Will be ready for immediate implementation and will have                

                                                                                

3   begun professional development on technology integration in the             

                                                                                

4   classroom.                                                                  

                                                                                

5       (b) Will utilize state structure and resources for                          

                                                                                

6   professional development, as coordinated by the Michigan virtual            

                                                                                

7   university or Ferris state university, as applicable.                       

                                                                                

8       (c) Will opt to participate in the statewide partnership                    

                                                                                

9   described in subsection (9).                                                

                                                                                

10      (3) The amount of program grants to districts is estimated at               

                                                                                

11  $250.00 per pupil in membership in grade 6 in 2004-2005, or in              

                                                                                

12  another grade allowed in this section, or per grade 6 teacher if            

                                                                                

13  the funding is awarded in a ratio of at least 20 pupils funded              

                                                                                

14  for each teacher funded.  The state education agency and the                

                                                                                

15  Michigan virtual university or Ferris state university, as                  

                                                                                

16  applicable, shall establish grant criteria that maximize the                

                                                                                

17  distribution of federal funds to achieve the $250.00 per pupil or           

                                                                                

18  teacher in districts that qualify for federal funds.  To qualify            

                                                                                

19  for a grant under this section, a district shall submit an                  

                                                                                

20  application to the state education agency and the Michigan                  

                                                                                

21  virtual university or Ferris state university, as applicable, and           

                                                                                

22  complete the application process established by the state                   

                                                                                

23  education agency and the Michigan virtual university or Ferris              

                                                                                

24  state university, as applicable.  The application shall include             

                                                                                

25  at least all of the following:                                              

                                                                                

26      (a) If the district is applying for federal funds, how the                  

                                                                                

27  district will meet the requirements of the competitive grants               


                                                                                

1   under DED-OESE, title II, part D.                                           

                                                                                

2       (b) How the district will provide the opportunity for each                  

                                                                                

3   pupil in membership in grade 6 to receive a wireless computing              

                                                                                

4   device.  If the district has already achieved one-to-one wireless           

                                                                                

5   access in grade 6 or if the district's school building grade                

                                                                                

6   configuration makes implementation of the program for grade 6               

                                                                                

7   impractical, the district may apply for a grant for the next                

                                                                                

8   highest grade.  If the district does not have a grade 6 or                  

                                                                                

9   higher, the district may apply for funding for the next lowest              

                                                                                

10  grade level.  If the district operates 1 or more schools that are           

                                                                                

11  not meeting adequate yearly progress, as determined by the                  

                                                                                

12  department, and that contain grade 6, the district may apply for            

                                                                                

13  funding for a school building-wide program for 1 or more of those           

                                                                                

14  schools.  A public school academy that does not offer a grade               

                                                                                

15  higher than grade 5 may apply to receive a grant under this                 

                                                                                

16  section for pupils in the highest grade offered by the public               

                                                                                

17  school academy.                                                             

                                                                                

18      (c) The district shall submit a plan describing the uses of                 

                                                                                

19  the grant funds.  The plan shall describe a plan for professional           

                                                                                

20  development on technology integration, content and curriculum,              

                                                                                

21  and local partnerships with the other districts and                         

                                                                                

22  representatives from businesses, industry, and higher education.            

                                                                                

23  The plan shall include at least the following:                              

                                                                                

24                                                                               (i) The academic achievement goals, which may include, but                          

                                                                                

25  are not limited to, goals related to mathematics, science, and              

                                                                                

26  language arts.                                                              

                                                                                

27      (ii) The engagement goals, which may include, but are not                    


                                                                                

1   limited to, goals related to retention rates, dropout rates,                

                                                                                

2   detentions, and suspensions.                                                

                                                                                

3       (iii) A commitment that at least 25% of the total local                      

                                                                                

4   budget for the program will be used on professional development             

                                                                                

5   on technology integration in the classroom.                                 

                                                                                

6       (d) A 3- to 5-year plan or funding model for increasing the                 

                                                                                

7   share that is borne locally of the expenditures for one-to-one              

                                                                                

8   wireless access.  The Michigan virtual university or Ferris state           

                                                                                

9   university, as applicable, shall provide districts with sample              

                                                                                

10  local plans and funding models for the purposes of this                     

                                                                                

11  subdivision and with information on available federal and private           

                                                                                

12  resources.                                                                  

                                                                                

13      (e) How the district will amend its local technology plan as                

                                                                                

14  required under state and federal law to reflect the program under           

                                                                                

15  this section.                                                               

                                                                                

16      (4) A district that receives a grant under this section shall               

                                                                                

17  provide at least a $25.00 per pupil match for grant money                   

                                                                                

18  received under this section from local public or private                    

                                                                                

19  resources.                                                                  

                                                                                

20      (5) The amount of a grant under this section to a single                    

                                                                                

21  district for a fiscal year shall not exceed 25% of the total                

                                                                                

22  amount available for grants under this section for that fiscal              

                                                                                

23  year.                                                                       

                                                                                

24      (6) A district that received money under section 98 in                      

                                                                                

25  2002-2003 for a wireless technology grant is eligible to receive            

                                                                                

26  a grant under this section.                                                 

                                                                                

27      (7) The federal funding under subsection (1) shall be used                  


                                                                                

1   first to provide the grants under this subsection.  A district              

                                                                                

2   described in this subsection shall apply to the Michigan virtual            

                                                                                

3   university or Ferris state university, as applicable, and the               

                                                                                

4   state education agency for a grant in the form and manner                   

                                                                                

5   prescribed by the department.  An application under this section            

                                                                                

6   is not subject to the requirements of subsection (3) if the                 

                                                                                

7   application demonstrates that the program will meet all of the              

                                                                                

8   following:                                                                  

                                                                                

9       (a) Will continue as a demonstration program.                               

                                                                                

10      (b) Will provide regional assistance to schools that are not                

                                                                                

11  meeting adequate yearly progress, as determined by the                      

                                                                                

12  department, and to new grant recipients, as directed by the state           

                                                                                

13  education agency and the Michigan virtual university or Ferris              

                                                                                

14  state university, as applicable.                                            

                                                                                

15      (c) Will seek to expand its existing wireless technology                    

                                                                                

16  initiatives.                                                                

                                                                                

17      (8) The state funding under subsection (1) shall be used                    

                                                                                

18  first to provide grants to districts that received money under              

                                                                                

19  section 98 in 2002-2003 and were designated as program                      

                                                                                

20  application sites.                                                          

                                                                                

21      (9) The department of management and budget shall establish a               

                                                                                

22  statewide public-private partnership to implement the program.              

                                                                                

23  The department of management and budget shall select a program              

                                                                                

24  partner through a request for proposals process for a total                 

                                                                                

25  learning technology package that includes, but is not limited to,           

                                                                                

26  a wireless laptop, software, professional development, service,             

                                                                                

27  and support, and for management by a single point of contact                


                                                                                

1   individual responsible for the overall implementation.  The                 

                                                                                

2   proposal selected shall achieve significant efficiencies and                

                                                                                

3   economies of scale and be interoperable with existing                       

                                                                                

4   technologies.  The private partner selected in the request for              

                                                                                

5   proposals process to partner with the state must possess all of             

                                                                                

6   the following:                                                              

                                                                                

7       (a) Experience in the development and successful                            

                                                                                

8   implementation of large-scale, school-based wireless technology             

                                                                                

9   projects.                                                                   

                                                                                

10      (b) Proven technical ability to deliver a total solutions                   

                                                                                

11  package of learning technology for elementary and secondary                 

                                                                                

12  students and teachers.                                                      

                                                                                

13      (c) Results-based education solutions to increase student                   

                                                                                

14  achievement and advance professional development for teachers.              

                                                                                

15      (d) Ability to coordinate, utilize, and expand existing                     

                                                                                

16  technology infrastructures and professional development delivery            

                                                                                

17  systems within school districts and regions.                                

                                                                                

18      (e) Ability to provide a wireless computing device that is                  

                                                                                

19  able to be connected to the wireless network and is able to                 

                                                                                

20  access a school's preexisting local network and the internet both           

                                                                                

21  wirelessly in the school and through dial-up or other remote                

                                                                                

22  connection from the home or elsewhere outside school.                       

                                                                                

23      (10) A district may elect to purchase or lease wireless                     

                                                                                

24  computing devices from a vendor other than the statewide                    

                                                                                

25  partnership described in subsection (9) if the Michigan virtual             

                                                                                

26  university or Ferris state university, as applicable, determines            

                                                                                

27  that the vendor meets the requirements of subdivisions (a) to (d)           


                                                                                

1   of subsection (9) and the vendor is identified in the district's            

                                                                                

2   grant application.                                                          

                                                                                

3       (11) The state education agency shall sign a memorandum of                  

                                                                                

4   understanding with the Michigan virtual university regarding                

                                                                                

5   DED-OESE, title II, educational technology grants, as provided              

                                                                                

6   under this subsection.  Not later than January 31, 2005, the                

                                                                                

7   state education agency shall enter into a memorandum of                     

                                                                                

8   understanding with Ferris state university to provide for the               

                                                                                

9   transfer of functions under this subsection. The Michigan virtual           

                                                                                

10  university or Ferris state university, as applicable, shall                 

                                                                                

11  coordinate activities described in this subsection with the                 

                                                                                

12  freedom to learn grants described under this section.  The                  

                                                                                

13  memorandum of understanding shall require that the Michigan                 

                                                                                

14  virtual university or Ferris state university, as applicable,               

                                                                                

15  coordinate the following state activities related to DED-OESE,              

                                                                                

16  title II, educational technology grants in accordance with                  

                                                                                

17  federal law:                                                                

                                                                                

18      (a) Assist in the development of innovative strategies for                  

                                                                                

19  the delivery of specialized or rigorous academic courses and                

                                                                                

20  curricula through the use of technology, including distance                 

                                                                                

21  learning technologies.                                                      

                                                                                

22      (b) Establish and support public-private initiatives for the                

                                                                                

23  acquisition of educational technology for students in high-need             

                                                                                

24  districts.                                                                  

                                                                                

25      (12) Funds allocated under this section that are not expended               

                                                                                

26  in the state fiscal year for which they were allocated may be               

                                                                                

27  carried forward to a subsequent state fiscal year.                          


                                                                                

1       (13)  The state education agency and the Michigan virtual                   

                                                                                

2   university shall complete the memoranda of understanding required           

                                                                                

3   under this section within 60 days after the effective date of the           

                                                                                

4   amendatory act that added this subsection.  It is the intent of             

                                                                                

5   the legislature that all plans or applications submitted by the             

                                                                                

6   state education agency to the United States department of                   

                                                                                

7   education relating to the distribution of federal funds under               

                                                                                

8   this section are for the purposes described in this section.                

                                                                                

9       (14) The state education agency shall ensure that the program               

                                                                                

10  goals and plans for the freedom to learn program are contained in           

                                                                                

11  the state technology plan required by federal law.                          

                                                                                

12      (15) From the funds allocated under this section, an amount                 

                                                                                

13  not to exceed $2,750,000.00 is allocated to the Michigan virtual            

                                                                                

14  university or Ferris state university, as applicable, to be used            

                                                                                

15  for statewide activities, as follows:                                       

                                                                                

16      (a) An amount estimated at $1,700,000.00 to develop a                       

                                                                                

17  professional development network in partnership with other                  

                                                                                

18  statewide entities for professional development on technology               

                                                                                

19  integration in the classroom.                                               

                                                                                

20      (b) An amount estimated at $250,000.00 for development of a                 

                                                                                

21  content resource package that will include on-line coursework               

                                                                                

22  content.                                                                    

                                                                                

23      (c) An amount estimated at $300,000.00 to Ferris state                      

                                                                                

24  university to develop or purchase an on-line assessment system to           

                                                                                

25  supplement the Michigan education assessment program tests and              

                                                                                

26  the Michigan merit examination and provide immediate feedback on            

                                                                                

27  pupil achievement.  The assessment system shall include                     


                                                                                

1   high-quality tests aligned to the state curriculum framework and            

                                                                                

2   tests that can be customized by teachers and integrated with                

                                                                                

3   on-line instructional resources.  The  Michigan virtual                     

                                                                                

4   university and the  state education agency shall work in                    

                                                                                

5   partnership with Ferris state university to implement the                   

                                                                                

6   assessment program.  The state education agency shall give first            

                                                                                

7   priority in implementing the assessment systems to districts not            

                                                                                

8   meeting adequately yearly progress requirements as established by           

                                                                                

9   the federal no child left behind act of 2001, Public Law 107-110,           

                                                                                

10  and to schools participating in grant programs under this                   

                                                                                

11  section.                                                                    

                                                                                

12      (d) An amount not to exceed $500,000.00 for comprehensive                   

                                                                                

13  statewide evaluation of current and future projects under this              

                                                                                

14  section and for statewide administration of the freedom to learn            

                                                                                

15  program.                                                                    

                                                                                

16      (16) The Michigan virtual university is encouraged to work                  

                                                                                

17  in partnership with Ferris state university in performing the               

                                                                                

18  functions under subsection (15).                                            

                                                                                

19      (16)  (17)  Notwithstanding section 17b, payments under this                

                                                                                

20  section may be made pursuant to an agreement with the                       

                                                                                

21  department.                                                                 

                                                                                

22      (17)  (18)  It is the intent of the legislature that this                   

                                                                                

23  state will seek to raise private funds for the current and future           

                                                                                

24  funding of the freedom to learn program under this section and              

                                                                                

25  all of the program components.                                              

                                                                                

26      (18)  (19)  As used in this section:                                        

                                                                                

27      (a) "DED-OESE" means the United States department of                        


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   education office of elementary and secondary education.                     

                                                                                

2       (b) "State education agency" means the department.                          

                                                                                

3       Sec. 104a.  (1)  In  Subject to subsection (14) and section                 

                                                                                

4   104b, until the end of the 2005-2006 school year, in order to               

                                                                                

5   receive state aid under this act, a district shall comply with              

                                                                                

6   this section and shall administer state assessments to high                 

                                                                                

7   school pupils in the subject areas of English language arts,                

                                                                                

8   mathematics, [    science, and                                              

                                                                                

9                                                                               

                                                                                

10               ] social studies.  If the  department  superintendent          

                                                                                

11  determines that it would be consistent with the purposes of this            

                                                                                

12  section, the  department  superintendent may designate the grade            

                                                                                

13  11 Michigan education assessment program tests  or the ACT/ACT              

                                                                                

14  work keys tests  as the assessments to be used for the purposes             

                                                                                

15  of this section.  The district shall include on the pupil's high            

                                                                                

16  school transcript all of the following:                                     

                                                                                

17      (a) For each high school graduate who has completed a subject               

                                                                                

18  area assessment under this section, the pupil's scaled score on             

                                                                                

19  the assessment.                                                             

                                                                                

20      (b) If the pupil's scaled score on a subject area assessment                

                                                                                

21  falls within the range required under subsection (2) for  a                 

                                                                                

22  category established under subsection (2)  "exceeds                         

                                                                                

23  expectations", "meets expectations", or "basic", an indication              

                                                                                

24  that the pupil has achieved state endorsement for that subject              

                                                                                

25  area.                                                                       

                                                                                

26      (c) The number of school days the pupil was in attendance at                

                                                                                

27  school each school year during high school and the total number             


                                                                                

1   of school days in session for each of those school years.                   

                                                                                

2       (2) The  department  superintendent shall develop scaled                    

                                                                                

3   scores for reporting subject area assessment results for each of            

                                                                                

4   the subject areas under this section.  The  department                      

                                                                                

5   superintendent shall establish  3  4 categories for each subject            

                                                                                

6   area indicating  basic competency, above average, and                       

                                                                                

7   outstanding  exceeds expectations, meets expectations, basic, and           

                                                                                

8   below basic, and shall establish the scaled score range required            

                                                                                

9   for each category.  The  department  superintendent shall design            

                                                                                

10  and distribute to districts, intermediate districts, and                    

                                                                                

11  nonpublic schools a simple and concise document that describes              

                                                                                

12  these categories in each subject area and indicates the scaled              

                                                                                

13  score ranges for each category in each subject area.  A district            

                                                                                

14  may award a high school diploma to a pupil who successfully                 

                                                                                

15  completes local district requirements established in accordance             

                                                                                

16  with state law for high school graduation, regardless of whether            

                                                                                

17  the pupil is eligible for any state endorsement.                            

                                                                                

18      (3) The assessments administered for the purposes of this                   

                                                                                

19  section shall be administered to pupils during the last  30  90             

                                                                                

20  school days of grade 11.  The  department  superintendent shall             

                                                                                

21  ensure that the assessments are scored and the scores are                   

                                                                                

22  returned to pupils, their parents or legal guardians, and                   

                                                                                

23  districts not later than the beginning of the pupil's first                 

                                                                                

24  semester of grade 12.   The department shall arrange for those              

                                                                                

25  portions of a pupil's assessment that cannot be scored                      

                                                                                

26  mechanically to be scored in Michigan by persons who are Michigan           

                                                                                

27  teachers, retired Michigan teachers, or Michigan school                     


                                                                                

1   administrators and who have been trained in scoring the                     

                                                                                

2   assessments.  The returned scores shall indicate the pupil's                

                                                                                

3   scaled score for each subject area assessment, the range of                 

                                                                                

4   scaled scores for each subject area, and the range of scaled                

                                                                                

5   scores required for each category established under                         

                                                                                

6   subsection (2).  In reporting the scores to pupils, parents, and            

                                                                                

7   schools, the  department  superintendent shall provide specific,            

                                                                                

8   meaningful, and timely feedback on the pupil's performance on the           

                                                                                

9   assessment.                                                                 

                                                                                

10      (4) Beginning with assessments conducted in the 2005-2006                   

                                                                                

11  school year, all of the following apply to the assessments under            

                                                                                

12  this section:                                                               

                                                                                

13      (a) The superintendent shall ensure that any contractor used                

                                                                                

14  for scoring the assessment supplies an individual report for each           

                                                                                

15  pupil that will identify for the student's parents and teachers             

                                                                                

16  whether the pupil met expectations or failed to meet expectations           

                                                                                

17  for each standard, to allow the pupil's parents and teachers to             

                                                                                

18  assess and remedy problems before the pupil moves to the next               

                                                                                

19  grade.                                                                      

                                                                                

20      (b) The superintendent shall ensure that any contractor used                

                                                                                

21  for scoring, developing, or processing an assessment instrument             

                                                                                

22  meets quality management standards commonly used in the                     

                                                                                

23  assessment industry, including at least meeting level 2 of the              

                                                                                

24  capability maturity model developed by the software engineering             

                                                                                

25  institute of Carnegie Mellon university for the 2005-2006 school            

                                                                                

26  year assessments and at least meeting level 3 of the capability             

                                                                                

27  maturity model for subsequent assessments.                                  


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1       (c) The superintendent shall ensure that any contract it                    

                                                                                

2   enters into for scoring, administering, or developing an                    

                                                                                

3   assessment instrument includes specific deadlines for all steps             

                                                                                

4   of the assessment process, including, but not limited to,                   

                                                                                

5   deadlines for the correct testing materials to be supplied to               

                                                                                

6   schools and for the correct results to be returned to schools,              

                                                                                

7   and includes penalties for noncompliance with these deadlines.              

                                                                                

8       (d) The superintendent shall ensure that the assessment                     

                                                                                

9   instruments meet all of the following:                                      

                                                                                

10                                                                               (i) Are designed to test pupils on grade level content                              

                                                                                

11  expectations or course content expectations, as appropriate, in             

                                                                                

12  all subjects tested.                                                        

                                                                                

13      (ii) Comply with requirements of the no child left behind act                

                                                                                

14  of 2001, Public Law 107-110.                                                

                                                                                

15      (iii) Are consistent with the code of fair testing practices                 

                                                                                

16  in education prepared by the joint committee on testing practices           

                                                                                

17  of the American psychological association.                                  

        [(iv) Are factually accurate. If the superintendent determines that a question is not factually accurate and should be removed from an assessment instrument, the state board and the superintendent shall ensure that the question is removed from the assessment instrument.]                                                     

18      (5)  (4)  For each pupil who does not achieve  state                        

                                                                                

19  endorsement  proficiency in 1 or more subject areas, the board of           

                                                                                

20  the district in which the pupil is enrolled shall provide that              

                                                                                

21  there be at least 1 meeting attended by at least the pupil and a            

                                                                                

22  member of the district's staff or a local or intermediate                   

                                                                                

23  district consultant who is proficient in the measurement and                

                                                                                

24  evaluation of pupils.  The district may provide the meeting as a            

                                                                                

25  group meeting for pupils in similar circumstances.  If the pupil            

                                                                                

26  is a minor, the district shall invite and encourage the pupil's             

                                                                                

27  parent, legal guardian, or person in loco parentis to attend the            


                                                                                

1   meeting and shall mail a notice of the meeting to the pupil's               

                                                                                

2   parent, legal guardian, or person in loco parentis.  The purpose            

                                                                                

3   of this meeting and any subsequent meeting under this subsection            

                                                                                

4   shall be to determine an educational program for the pupil                  

                                                                                

5   designed to have the pupil achieve state endorsement in each                

                                                                                

6   subject area in which he or she did not achieve state                       

                                                                                

7   endorsement.  In addition, a district may provide for subsequent            

                                                                                

8   meetings with the pupil conducted by a high school counselor or             

                                                                                

9   teacher designated by the pupil's high school principal, and                

                                                                                

10  shall invite and encourage the pupil's parent, legal guardian, or           

                                                                                

11  person in loco parentis to attend the subsequent meetings.  The             

                                                                                

12  district shall provide special programs for the pupil or develop            

                                                                                

13  a program using the educational programs regularly provided by              

                                                                                

14  the district unless the board of the district decides otherwise             

                                                                                

15  and publishes and explains its decision in a public justification           

                                                                                

16  report.                                                                     

                                                                                

17      (6)  (5)  A pupil who wants to repeat an assessment                         

                                                                                

18  administered under this section may repeat the assessment,                  

                                                                                

19  without charge to the pupil, in the next school year or after               

                                                                                

20  graduation.  An individual may repeat an assessment at any time             

                                                                                

21  the district administers an applicable assessment instrument or             

                                                                                

22  during a retesting period under subsection  (7)  (8).                       

                                                                                

23      (7)  (6)  The  department  superintendent shall ensure that                 

                                                                                

24  the length of the assessments used for the purposes of this                 

                                                                                

25  section and the combined total time necessary to administer all             

                                                                                

26  of the assessments are the shortest possible that will still                

                                                                                

27  maintain the degree of reliability and validity of the assessment           


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   results determined necessary by the  department  superintendent.            

                                                                                

2   The  department  superintendent shall ensure that the maximum               

                                                                                

3   total combined length of time that schools are required to set              

                                                                                

4   aside for administration of all of the assessments used for the             

                                                                                

5   purposes of this section does not exceed 8 hours.  However, this            

                                                                                

6   subsection does not limit the amount of time that individuals may           

                                                                                

7   have to complete the assessments.                                           

                                                                                

8       (8)  (7)  The  department  superintendent shall establish,                  

                                                                                

9   schedule, and arrange periodic retesting periods throughout the             

                                                                                

10  year until the end of the 2006-2007 school year for individuals             

                                                                                

11  who desire to repeat an assessment under this section.  The                 

                                                                                

12  department  superintendent shall coordinate the arrangements for           

                                                                                

13  administering the repeat assessments and shall ensure that the              

                                                                                

14  retesting is made available at least within each intermediate               

                                                                                

15  district and, to the extent possible, within each district.                 

                                                                                

16      (9)  (8)  A district shall provide accommodations to a pupil                

                                                                                

17  with disabilities for the assessments required under this                   

                                                                                

18  section, as provided under section 504 of title V of the                    

                                                                                

19  rehabilitation act of 1973, 29 USC 794; subtitle A of title II of           

                                                                                

20  the Americans with disabilities act of 1990, 42 USC 12131 to                

                                                                                

21  12134; the individuals with disabilities education act amendments           

                                                                                

22  of 1997, Public Law 105-17; and the implementing regulations for            

                                                                                

23  those statutes.                                                             

                                                                                

24      (10)  (9)  For the purposes of this section, the  department                

                                                                                

25  superintendent shall develop or select and approve assessment               

                                                                                

26  instruments to measure pupil performance in English language                

                                                                                

27  arts, mathematics, [social studies,] and science.   Unless the              


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   department selects and approves the ACT/ACT work keys tests, the            

                                                                                

2   [                                                                           

                                                                                

3                                                              ]  The           

                                                                                

4   assessment instruments shall be based on  the model core academic           

                                                                                

5   content standards objectives under section 1278 of the revised              

                                                                                

6   school code, MCL 380.1278  grade level content expectations or              

                                                                                

7   course content expectations, as appropriate.                                

                                                                                

8       (11)  (10)  Upon written request by the pupil's parent or                   

                                                                                

9   legal guardian stating that the request is being made for the               

                                                                                

10  purpose of providing the pupil with an opportunity to qualify to            

                                                                                

11  take 1 or more postsecondary courses as an eligible student under           

                                                                                

12  the postsecondary enrollment options act, 1996 PA 160,                      

                                                                                

13  MCL 388.511 to 388.524, or under the career and technical                   

                                                                                

14  preparation act, 2000 PA 258, MCL 388.1901 to 388.1913, the board           

                                                                                

15  of a district shall allow a pupil who is in at least grade 10 to            

                                                                                

16  take an assessment administered under this section without charge           

                                                                                

17  at any time the district regularly administers the assessment or            

                                                                                

18  during a retesting period established under subsection  (7)                 

                                                                                

19  (8).  A district is not required to include in an annual                    

                                                                                

20  education report, or in any other report submitted to the                   

                                                                                

21  department  superintendent for accreditation purposes, results             

                                                                                

22  of assessments taken under this subsection by a pupil in grade 11           

                                                                                

23  or lower until the results of that pupil's graduating class are             

                                                                                

24  otherwise reported.                                                         

                                                                                

25      (12)  (11)  All assessment instruments developed or selected                

                                                                                

26  and approved by the state under any statute or rule for a purpose           

                                                                                

27  related to K to 12 education shall be objective-oriented and                


                                                                                

1   consistent with  the model core academic content standards                  

                                                                                

2   objectives under section 1278 of the revised school code,                   

                                                                                

3   MCL 380.1278  grade level content expectations or course content            

                                                                                

4   expectations, as appropriate.                                               

                                                                                

5       (13)  (12) A  Until the end of the 2006-2007 school year, a                 

                                                                                

6   person who has graduated from high school after 1996 and who has            

                                                                                

7   not previously taken an assessment under this section may take an           

                                                                                

8   assessment used for the purposes of this section, without charge            

                                                                                

9   to the person, at the district from which he or she graduated               

                                                                                

10  from high school at any time that district administers the                  

                                                                                

11  assessment or during a retesting period scheduled under                     

                                                                                

12  subsection  (7)  (8) and have his or her scaled score on the                

                                                                                

13  assessment included on his or her high school transcript.  If the           

                                                                                

14  person's scaled score on a subject area assessment falls within             

                                                                                

15  the range required under subsection (2) for a category                      

                                                                                

16  established under subsection (2), the district shall also                   

                                                                                

17  indicate on the person's high school transcript that the person             

                                                                                

18  has achieved state endorsement for that subject area.                       

                                                                                

19      (14) Until the end of the 2006-2007 school year, a person who               

                                                                                

20  has previously taken an assessment under this section may take a            

                                                                                

21  retest on the assessment for the purposes of qualifying for a               

                                                                                

22  Michigan merit award under the Michigan merit award scholarship             

                                                                                

23  act, 1999 PA 94, MCL 390.1451 to 390.1459.  The person may take             

                                                                                

24  the retest, without charge to the person, at the district in                

                                                                                

25  which he or she is enrolled or resides or, if it is not available           

                                                                                

26  in that district, at another location within the intermediate               

                                                                                

27  district in which he or she resides, at a regular testing time              


     House Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   scheduled for the assessment or during a retesting period                   

                                                                                

2   scheduled under subsection (8).                                             

                                                                                

3       (15)  (13)  A child who is a student in a nonpublic school or               

                                                                                

4   home school may take an assessment under this section.  To take             

                                                                                

5   an assessment, a child who is a student in a home school shall              

                                                                                

6   contact the district in which the child resides, and that                   

                                                                                

7   district shall administer the assessment, or the child may take             

                                                                                

8   the assessment at a nonpublic school if allowed by the nonpublic            

                                                                                

9   school.  Upon request from a nonpublic school, the  department              

                                                                                

10  superintendent shall supply assessments and the nonpublic school            

                                                                                

11  may administer the assessment.  If a district administers an                

                                                                                

12  assessment under this subsection to a child who is not enrolled             

                                                                                

13  in the district, the scores for that child are not considered for           

                                                                                

14  any purpose to be scores of a pupil of the district.                        

                                                                                

15      (16)  (14)  The purpose of the assessment under this section                

                                                                                

16  is to assess pupil performance in mathematics, science, [social             

                                                                                

17  studies,] and English language arts for the purpose of improving            

                                                                                

18  academic achievement and establishing a statewide standard of               

                                                                                

19  competency.  The assessment under this section provides a common            

                                                                                

20  measure of data that will contribute to the improvement of                  

                                                                                

21  Michigan schools' curriculum and instruction by encouraging                 

                                                                                

22  alignment with Michigan's curriculum framework standards.  These            

                                                                                

23  standards are based upon the expectations of what pupils should             

                                                                                

24  know and be able to do by the end of grade 11.                              

                                                                                

25      (17)  (15)  As used in this section:  , "social                             

                                                                                

26      (a) "English language arts" means reading and writing.                      

                                                                                

27      (b) "Social studies" means  geography,  United States                       


                                                                                

1   history, world history, world geography, economics, and American            

                                                                                

2   government.                                                                 

                                                                                

3       Sec. 104b.  (1) Beginning in the 2006 calendar year, in                     

                                                                                

4   order to receive state aid under this act, a district shall                 

                                                                                

5   comply with this section and shall administer the state                     

                                                                                

6   assessments under section 1279 or the Michigan merit examination            

                                                                                

7   to pupils in grade 11 as provided in this section, as follows:              

                                                                                

8       (a) For pupils in grade 11 in the 2005-2006 school year, the                

                                                                                

9   provisions concerning state assessments under section 104a apply            

                                                                                

10  to all pupils in grade 11 and the Michigan merit examination                

                                                                                

11  shall be administered to a sample of pupils in grade 11                     

                                                                                

12  statewide, as identified by the department.  The pupils to be               

                                                                                

13  included in this sample shall be determined by the department as            

                                                                                

14  the department determines necessary to seek the approval of the             

                                                                                

15  United States department of education to use the Michigan merit             

                                                                                

16  examination for the purposes of the federal no child left behind            

                                                                                

17  act of 2001, Public Law 107-110.                                            

                                                                                

18      (b) Subject to subdivision (c), for pupils in grade 11 in the               

                                                                                

19  2006-2007 school year and subsequent school years, the Michigan             

                                                                                

20  merit examination shall be offered to all pupils in grade 11.               

                                                                                

21      (c) If the United States department of education has not                    

                                                                                

22  approved the use of the Michigan merit examination for the                  

                                                                                

23  purposes of the federal no child left behind act of 2001, Public            

                                                                                

24  Law 107-110, by December 31, 2006, all of the following apply:              

                                                                                

25                                                                               (i) The provisions concerning state assessments under section                       

                                                                                

26  104a shall continue to apply to all pupils in grade 11 until the            

                                                                                

27  next calendar year that begins after that approval occurs.                  


                                                                                

1       (ii) The Michigan merit examination shall be offered to all                  

                                                                                

2   pupils in grade 11 beginning in the next calendar year that                 

                                                                                

3   begins after that approval occurs.                                          

                                                                                

4       (iii) If it is necessary as part of the process of continuing                

                                                                                

5   to seek the approval of the United States department of education           

                                                                                

6   to use the Michigan merit examination for the purposes of the               

                                                                                

7   federal no child left behind act of 2001, Public Law 107-110, the           

                                                                                

8   department may again provide for the administration of both the             

                                                                                

9   state assessments under section 104a and the Michigan merit                 

                                                                                

10  examination to a sample of pupils in grade 11 statewide as                  

                                                                                

11  described in subdivision (a).                                               

                                                                                

12      (2) The department shall take all steps necessary, including,               

                                                                                

13  but not limited to, conducting a content alignment study and                

                                                                                

14  statistical analyses, to obtain the approval of the United States           

                                                                                

15  department of education to use the Michigan merit examination for           

                                                                                

16  the purposes of the federal no child left behind act of 2001,               

                                                                                

17  Public Law 107-110, by not later than December 31, 2006 or as               

                                                                                

18  soon thereafter as possible.                                                

                                                                                

19      (3) For the purposes of this section, the department of                     

                                                                                

20  management and budget shall contract with 1 or more providers to            

                                                                                

21  develop, supply, and score the Michigan merit examination.  The             

                                                                                

22  Michigan merit examination shall consist of all of the                      

                                                                                

23  following:                                                                  

                                                                                

24      (a) Assessment instruments that measure English language                    

                                                                                

25  arts, mathematics, reading, and science and are used by colleges            

                                                                                

26  and universities in this state for entrance or placement                    

                                                                                

27  purposes.                                                                   


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1       (b) One or more tests from 1 or more test developers that                   

                                                                                

2   assess a pupil's ability to apply reading and mathematics skills            

                                                                                

3   in a manner that is intended to allow employers to use the                  

                                                                                

4   results in making employment decisions.                                     

                                                                                

5       [(c) A social studies component.                                            

                                                                                

6                                                       ]                       

                                                                                

7       (d) Any other component that is necessary to obtain the                     

                                                                                

8   approval of the United States department of education to use the            

                                                                                

9   Michigan merit examination for the purposes of the federal no               

                                                                                

10  child left behind act of 2001, Public Law 107-110.                          

                                                                                

11      (4) In addition to all other requirements of this section,                  

                                                                                

12  all of the following apply to the Michigan merit examination:               

                                                                                

13      (a) The department of management and budget and the                         

                                                                                

14  superintendent shall ensure that any contractor used for scoring            

                                                                                

15  the Michigan merit examination supplies an individual report for            

                                                                                

16  each pupil that will identify for the pupil's parents and                   

                                                                                

17  teachers whether the pupil met expectations or failed to meet               

                                                                                

18  expectations for each standard, to allow the pupil's parents and            

                                                                                

19  teachers to assess and remedy problems before the pupil moves to            

                                                                                

20  the next grade.                                                             

                                                                                

21      (b) The department of management and budget and the                         

                                                                                

22  superintendent shall ensure that any contractor used for scoring,           

                                                                                

23  developing, or processing the Michigan merit examination meets              

                                                                                

24  quality management standards commonly used in the assessment                

                                                                                

25  industry, including at least meeting level 2 of the capability              

                                                                                

26  maturity model developed by the software engineering institute of           

                                                                                

27  Carnegie Mellon university for the first year the Michigan merit            


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   examination is offered to all grade 11 pupils and at least                  

                                                                                

2   meeting level 3 of the capability maturity model for subsequent             

                                                                                

3   years.                                                                      

                                                                                

4       (c) The department of management and budget and the                         

                                                                                

5   superintendent shall ensure that any contract for scoring,                  

                                                                                

6   administering, or developing the Michigan merit examination                 

                                                                                

7   includes specific deadlines for all steps of the assessment                 

                                                                                

8   process, including, but not limited to, deadlines for the correct           

                                                                                

9   testing materials to be supplied to schools and for the correct             

                                                                                

10  results to be returned to schools, and includes penalties for               

                                                                                

11  noncompliance with these deadlines.                                         

                                                                                

12      (d) The superintendent shall ensure that the Michigan merit                 

                                                                                

13  examination meets all of the following:                                     

                                                                                

14                                                                               (i) Is designed to test pupils on grade level content                               

                                                                                

15  expectations or course content expectations, as appropriate, in             

                                                                                

16  all subjects tested.                                                        

                                                                                

17      (ii) Complies with requirements of the no child left behind                  

                                                                                

18  act of 2001, Public Law 107-110.                                            

                                                                                

19      (iii) Is consistent with the code of fair testing practices                  

                                                                                

20  in education prepared by the joint committee on testing practices           

                                                                                

21  of the American psychological association.                                  

        [(iv) Is factually accurate. If the superintendent determines that a question is not factually accurate and should be removed from an assessment instrument, the state board and the superintendent shall ensure that the question is removed from the assessment instrument.]                                                     

22      (5) Beginning with pupils completing grade 11 in 2006, a                    

                                                                                

23  district shall include on each pupil's high school transcript all           

                                                                                

24  of the following:                                                           

                                                                                

25      (a) For each high school graduate who has completed the                     

                                                                                

26  Michigan merit examination under this section, the pupil's scaled           

                                                                                

27  score on each subject area component of the Michigan merit                  


                                                                                

1   examination.                                                                

                                                                                

2       (b) The number of school days the pupil was in attendance at                

                                                                                

3   school each school year during high school and the total number             

                                                                                

4   of school days in session for each of those school years.                   

                                                                                

5       (6) The superintendent shall work with the provider or                      

                                                                                

6   providers of the Michigan merit examination to produce Michigan             

                                                                                

7   merit examination subject area scores for each pupil                        

                                                                                

8   participating in the Michigan merit examination, including                  

                                                                                

9   scaling and merging of test items for the different subject area            

                                                                                

10  components.  The superintendent shall design and distribute to              

                                                                                

11  districts, intermediate districts, and nonpublic schools a simple           

                                                                                

12  and concise document that describes the scoring for each subject            

                                                                                

13  area and indicates the scaled score ranges for each subject                 

                                                                                

14  area.                                                                       

                                                                                

15      (7) The Michigan merit examination shall be administered each               

                                                                                

16  year after March 1 and before June 1 to pupils in grade 11.  The            

                                                                                

17  superintendent shall ensure that the Michigan merit examination             

                                                                                

18  is scored and the scores are returned to pupils, their parents or           

                                                                                

19  legal guardians, and districts not later than the beginning of              

                                                                                

20  the pupil's first semester of grade 12.  The returned scores                

                                                                                

21  shall indicate at least the pupil's scaled score for each subject           

                                                                                

22  area component and the range of scaled scores for each subject              

                                                                                

23  area.  In reporting the scores to pupils, parents, and schools,             

                                                                                

24  the superintendent shall provide standards-specific, meaningful,            

                                                                                

25  and timely feedback on the pupil's performance on the Michigan              

                                                                                

26  merit examination.                                                          

                                                                                

27      (8) A pupil who does not qualify for a Michigan merit award                 


                                                                                

1   scholarship under the Michigan merit award scholarship act, 1999            

                                                                                

2   PA 94, MCL 390.1451 to 390.1459, and who wants to repeat the                

                                                                                

3   Michigan merit examination may repeat the Michigan merit                    

                                                                                

4   examination in the next school year on a designated testing                 

                                                                                

5   date.  The first time a pupil repeats the Michigan merit                    

                                                                                

6   examination under this subsection shall be without charge to the            

                                                                                

7   pupil, but the pupil is responsible for paying the cost of any              

                                                                                

8   subsequent repeat.                                                          

                                                                                

9       (9) The superintendent shall ensure that the length of the                  

                                                                                

10  Michigan merit examination and the combined total time necessary            

                                                                                

11  to administer all of the components of the Michigan merit                   

                                                                                

12  examination are the shortest possible that will still maintain              

                                                                                

13  the degree of reliability and validity of the Michigan merit                

                                                                                

14  examination results determined necessary by the superintendent.             

                                                                                

15  The superintendent shall ensure that the maximum total combined             

                                                                                

16  length of time that schools are required to set aside for                   

                                                                                

17  administration of all of the components of the Michigan merit               

                                                                                

18  examination does not exceed 8 hours.                                        

                                                                                

19      (10) A district shall provide accommodations to a pupil with                

                                                                                

20  disabilities for the Michigan merit examination, as provided                

                                                                                

21  under section 504 of title V of the rehabilitation act of 1973,             

                                                                                

22  29 USC 794; subtitle A of title II of the Americans with                    

                                                                                

23  disabilities act of 1990, 42 USC 12131 to 12134; the individuals            

                                                                                

24  with disabilities education act amendments of 1997, Public Law              

                                                                                

25  105-17; and the implementing regulations for those statutes.  The           

                                                                                

26  provider or providers of the Michigan merit examination and the             

                                                                                

27  superintendent shall mutually agree upon the accommodations to be           


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   provided under this subsection.                                             

                                                                                

2       (11) To the greatest extent possible, the Michigan merit                    

                                                                                

3   examination shall be based on grade level content expectations or           

                                                                                

4   course content expectations, as appropriate.                                

                                                                                

5       (12) A child who is a student in a nonpublic school or home                 

                                                                                

6   school may take the Michigan merit examination under this                   

                                                                                

7   section.  To take the Michigan merit examination, a child who is            

                                                                                

8   a student in a home school shall contact the district in which              

                                                                                

9   the child resides, and that district shall administer the                   

                                                                                

10  Michigan merit examination, or the child may take the Michigan              

                                                                                

11  merit examination at a nonpublic school if allowed by the                   

                                                                                

12  nonpublic school.  Upon request from a nonpublic school, the                

                                                                                

13  superintendent shall direct the provider or providers to supply             

                                                                                

14  the Michigan merit examination to the nonpublic school and the              

                                                                                

15  nonpublic school may administer the Michigan merit examination.             

                                                                                

16  If a district administers the Michigan merit examination under              

                                                                                

17  this subsection to a child who is not enrolled in the district,             

                                                                                

18  the scores for that child are not considered for any purpose to             

                                                                                

19  be scores of a pupil of the district.                                       

                                                                                

20      (13) In contracting under subsection (3), the department of                 

                                                                                

21  management and budget shall consider a contractor that provides             

                                                                                

22  electronically-scored essays with the ability to score                      

                                                                                

23  constructed response feedback in multiple languages and provide             

                                                                                

24  ongoing instruction and feedback.                                           

                                                                                

25      (14) The purpose of the Michigan merit examination is to                    

                                                                                

26  assess pupil performance in mathematics, science, [social studies,] and English    

                                                                                

27  language arts for the purpose of improving academic achievement             


     Senate Bill No. 1155 (H-3) as amended December 8, 2004

   

1   and establishing a statewide standard of competency.  The                   

                                                                                

2   assessment under this section provides a common measure of data             

                                                                                

3   that will contribute to the improvement of Michigan schools'                

                                                                                

4   curriculum and instruction by encouraging alignment with                    

                                                                                

5   Michigan's curriculum framework standards and promotes pupil                

                                                                                

6   participation in higher level mathematics, science, [social studies,] and English                                                                         

                                                                                

7   language arts courses.  These standards are based upon the                  

                                                                                

8   expectations of what pupils should learn through high school and            

                                                                                

9   are aligned with national standards.                                        

                                                                                

10      (15) As used in this section:                                               

                                                                                

11      (a) "English language arts" means reading and writing.                      

                                                                                

12      (b) "Social studies" means United States history, world                     

                                                                                

13  history, world geography, economics, and American government.               

                                                                                

14      Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act does not take                      

                                                                                

15  effect unless all of the following bills of the 92nd Legislature            

                                                                                

16  are enacted into law:                                                       

                                                                                

17      (a) Senate Bill No. 1153.                                                   

                                                                                

18      (b) Senate Bill No. 1154.                                                   

                                                                                

19      (c) Senate Bill No. 1156.                                                   

                                                                                

20      (d) Senate Bill No. 1157.