Though there were many bills passed in 2023 that related to education in Michigan, the legislature has a number that are still pending. Below are those that MASB is following closely, along with the Association's advocacy position on each.

Workplace Learning    Senate Bill 23

SB 23 makes changes to the Revised School Code around work-based learning experiences. Under current law, a student can be counted up to .5 FTE (full-time equivalent) for work-based learning purposes, this bill would increase that to .75. However, a student could not be counted as more than 1 FTE, and a district could count them as less than .75 to ensure that the student would meet the district’s graduation requirements on time.  

MASB supports this bill.    

Design Build Contractors  Senate Bill 314

SB 314 allows schools who are executing new construction and remodels of buildings to choose a design build contractor. Under current law schools cannot. 

High School Graduation Requirement FAFSA  Senate Bill 463

SB 463 mandates completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) as a graduation requirement. The FAFSA is a form completed by students to determine their eligibility for student financial aid. Completion of the FAFSA application requires information and participation from the student’s parent or guardian.

MASB opposes this bill. 

Codifies the Free School Lunch and Breakfast Program Senate Bill 500

SB 500 requires the Michigan Department of Education to operate the program providing free breakfast and lunch to all students in Michigan public schools. This follows the School Aid budget which appropriated $160 million for the programing 2023. Putting the program into the School Code will help ensure that the meal program is funded each year by the Legislature. 

MASB supports this bill, and it is one of our legislative priorities.    

Special Education Interim Teaching Certificates

SB 518 Extends the sunset on the current provision to allow special education teachers to receive interim certificates until 2027. High education requirements for special education teachers have contributed to the current special education teacher shortage.

MASB supports this bill. 

Minium Ratio of School Counselors to Students House Bill 4081

HB 4081 requires all districts to maintain a ration of at least one school counselor for every 250 students enrolled. The cost to an individual district, ISD, or PSA would depend on its current counselor-to-pupil ratio. Based on data for FY 2022-23, out of 888 districts, ISDs, and PSAs, 834 would need to hire additional counselors to satisfy the bill’s requirement and 80 districts would need to hire 20 or more counselors. 

More counselors in schools are needed but this mandate is impractical and unfunded. Staffing shortages in education continue for all levels in the school system. Finding staff to fill positions to meet the ratios would be impractical.  The unbudgeted expense of HB 4081 would be forced into already built budgets. Many districts would not be able to support this mandate.

MASB opposes this bill due to the cost to school districts. 

ISD Career and Technical Education Millage  House Bill 4279  

This bill would allow a Career and Technical Education (CTE) millage to be used to contract with another ISD for CTE programs and services. Currently you cannot use the millage for contracting purposes.

MASB supports this bill. 

Substitute Teacher Qualifications  House Bill 4549 (H-1)

HB 4549 would modify the requirements to become a substitute teacher. Substitute teachers must be at least 21 years of age to sub, unless they are enrolled in and are supervised an educator preparation program approved by Michigan Department of Education (MDE).                                                                                                                 

A substitute teacher could not be placed in a special education program or be responsible for delivering special education programs and services unless they met education requirements for teaching special education under other state and federal laws.

MASB supports this bill as it addresses the Substitute Teacher shortage.

Labor Day Start  HB 4671

HB 4671 Repeals the requirement that schools start after Labor Day unless a district receives a waiver from the Michigan Department of Education. 

MASB supports this bill as districts should decide locally when to start the school year. 

Wearing of  Traditional Regalia and Objects House Bill 4854

HB 4854 states that a district cannot prohibit or punish an indigenous student for wearing traditional regalia or bringing a traditional object to school. This bill does not allow weapons, tobacco or drug related items already banned by local policy.

MASB supports this bill. 

Speed Detection Systems in School Zones House Bill 4921 

HB 4921 would allow speed enforcement devices in school zones if a local government wanted to add them. The devices would automatically ticket drivers going 10 or more over the posted speed limit.  Driving 10 or more miles over the speed limit is a civil infraction subject to a $150 fine. 

MASB is neutral. 

Stop Arm Cameras on School Buses House Bill 4928, 4929 and 4930  

These bills expand the law allowing stop arm cameras and require fines. The revenue from these fines would be used to pay for the bus arm camera system. These bills would increase fines and redirect potential revenue from tickets for passing a stopped school bus from libraries to schools.

MASB opposes HB 4928, 4929 and 4930 as they do not create a consistent revenue source to cover costs and take funding from our communities’ libraries.   

Environmental Literacy Task Force Senate Bill 4961

HB 4961 establishes an environmental literacy task force to create curriculum around climate change and the environment and present its findings to the department and legislature.

MASB opposes this bill.