HIGH SCHOOL MERIT CURRICULUM &
CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION
Senate Bill 66 (Substitute S-8)
Sponsor: Sen. John Proos
House Committee: Education
Senate Committee: Education
Complete to 6-10-14
A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 66 AS REPORTED FROM HOUSE COMMITTEE
Under Senate Bill 66 (S-8), if officials in a school district, intermediate school district, or charter school requested information from the Department of Education on career and technical education programs that could help fulfill merit curriculum requirements, the department would have to provide that information within a reasonable time. The bill would amend the Revised School Code.
The bill also requires the department to post on its website information concerning best practices in career and technical education, including:
o a description of the ways career and technical education can be used to help fulfill the requirements of the high school Michigan Merit curriculum;
o information describing successful career and technical education programs operated by other school districts and intermediate districts;
o a list and description of various career and technical education programs provided in Michigan, including the subject areas and disciplines covered;
o illustrations of how school districts, intermediate school districts, and charter school academies work with local business entities, trade organizations, state licensed proprietary schools, universities, or community colleges to provide quality career and technical education; and,
o various ways that officials in school districts and charter schools have embedded the course content from credits required under the Michigan Merit curriculum into career and technical education, and other alternative instructional delivery methods, in order to deliver the Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements.
Currently the Revised School Code requires school board and charter school board members to provide the opportunity for each student to create an educational development plan during grade 7; further, the code describes procedures to follow when developing the plan. Senate Bill 66 (S-8) would retain these provisions. In addition, the bill would require school board members and charter school directors, as part of the development process, to ensure that pupils were given information about fulfilling merit curriculum requirements with career and technical education or another program approved by the department.
Finally, Senate Bill 66 (S-8) states that school districts, intermediate school districts, and charter school academies would be "strongly encouraged" to establish programs whose completion, after high school graduation, would be credited toward achievement of a professional certificate, training, apprenticeship, or college credit in a specific career and technical field.
COMMITTEE ACTION:
The members of the House Education Committee reported out the Senate-passed version of Senate Bill 66 (S-8) without amendments.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Senate Bill 66 would have a fiscal impact to the state. Costs would derive from the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) staff time and associated efforts for fulfilling the bill's required tasks related to providing information to schools that would enable students to fulfill their Michigan Merit curriculum requirements for a high school diploma by enrolling in a career and technical education program. Additional costs would stem from the bill's requirement that the department post on its website information concerning best practices in career and technical education (CTE).
SB 66 would be of minimal fiscal impact to local units of governments and school districts. Supplementary administrative requirements would include disbursement of information about fulfilling merit curriculum requirements. Additionally, districts are not required, but "strongly encouraged" to establish programs whose post-graduation completion would be credited toward achievement of a professional certificate, training, apprenticeship, or college credit in a specific career and technical field. There would be a cost to establishing those programs if districts decide to do so.
POSITIONS:
The Michigan Manufacturers Association supports the bill. (6-4-14)
The Associated Builders and Contractors support the bill. (6-4-14)
The Michigan Restaurant Association supports the bill. (6-4-14)
Oakland Schools supports the bill. (6-4-14)
The Michigan Association of Public School Academies supports the bill. (6-4-14)
Home Builders Association of Michigan supports the bill. (6-4-14)
The Michigan Farm Bureau is neutral on the bill. (6-4-14)
The Michigan Department of Education is neutral on the bill. (6-4-14)
Legislative Analyst: J. Hunault
Fiscal Analyst: Bethany Wicksall
Karen Shapiro
■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.