Michigan Federation of Teachers & School Related Personnel
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Michigan Federation of Teachers & School Related Personnel
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92nd Legislative Session Comes to an End School Aid Fund Hole Filled For '04 and '05 MEAP Replacement Package Approved Community Transition Team to Be Named for Detroit Schools Community College District Board Elections Pregnant & Parenting Students in Higher Education Lobby Day 2005
Links to current Legislative Action Alerts
may be found on the Legislative Hotline page of this website.  Return to Top 92nd Legislative Session Comes to an End The 92nd Session of the Michigan State Legislature is scheduled to adjourn "Sine Die" on December 29. At that time, all legislation that is still pending will be dead. The new 93rd legislative session will start all over when they convene January 12th. We expect many of the same issues to resurface again next year. The MFT&SRP will fight hard to fend off detrimental bills and enact beneficial ones. Thanks for your support and assistance in the past and we look forward to working with you in the future. Return to Top School Aid Fund Hole Filled For '04 and '05 The December Revenue Estimating Conference indicated that the 2003 - 2004 School Aid Fund is expected to end with a $20 million deficit, while the General Fund will close with about a $20 million surplus. Fiscal experts advised the state to prepare for a $256.8 million hole in this year's General Fund and another $113.2 hole in the School Aid Fund for the current 2004 - 2005 fiscal year. In view of these findings, the legislature passed Senate Bill 1193 which includes the following provisions.
Senate Bill 1193 was passed by the Legislature in the last few days of session. It is now on its way to the Governor for her signature. It is far from clear whether K-12 schools can escape cuts if revenues continue to fall short of forecasts later in the 2004 - 2005 fiscal year. Although the MFT&SRP is grateful for the move to shore up the school aid fund and avoid cuts that would have amounted to about $60 per pupil, we are anticipating additional shortfalls. The MFT&SRP remains insistent that state officials honor their pledge not to cut aid to universities despite the news of the general fund facing a substantial current year deficit. Earlier this year, state officials agreed not to cut university spending in exchange for schools holding down increases in tuition rates. The December Revenue Estimating Conference looked only at the 2003 - 2004 fiscal year that ended on September 30 and the current fiscal year. Estimates for the 2005 - 2006 fiscal year will be made at the January 13 Revenue Estimating Conference. It is clear that elected leaders must examine its revenue stream to build a stronger long-term foundation for education funding. Return to Top MEAP Replacement Package Approved During the last days of session, the legislature passed a five-bill package that will replace the MEAP test with a new high school test for 11th graders known as the Michigan Merit Exam. The change only involves 11th graders, while elementary and middle school students will continue to take the MEAP. The legislation does not specify what test will replace the MEAP, however, the language in the legislation points toward the ACT and the Work Keys exam. The examination will assess students' knowledge of English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies. The state superintendent is required to eliminate any MEAP test questions that he finds factually inaccurate. The Michigan Merit Exam will take full effect in the 2006-2007 school year, if approved for use by the U.S. Department of Education. Meanwhile, a sample group could begin taking it as soon as the 2005-2006 school year. The Michigan Merit Exam shall be administered each year to 11th graders after March 1 and before June 1. Scores must be returned to pupils, parents, and schools no later than the beginning of pupils' first semester of grade 12. Beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, a student must qualify for a Michigan Merit Scholarship by earning high marks on the new merit exam. The cost to take the exam, including one re-test, will be borne by the state. The cost of subsequent re-tests will be borne by the test-takers. This legislation also amends the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act and the Career and Technical Preparation Act to require a high school student, beginning in the 2006-2007 school year, to achieve a qualifying score on a "readiness assessment," or the Michigan Merit Examination, in order to dual enroll in postsecondary or career and technical courses. The state is not responsible for any of the costs for a student who takes a readiness assessment or a job skills assessment test. However, if the student has not achieved a qualifying score in all subject areas on a readiness assessment or the Michigan Merit Examination, as applicable for the student, the student is an eligible student if the student achieves a qualifying score in mathematics and a qualifying score on a nationally or industry recognized job skills assessment test as determined by the superintendent of public instruction. A portion of this package also specifies that the functions of the Michigan Virtual University shall be transferred to Ferris State University beginning January 1, 2005. Senate Bill 1153 (Kuipers, R-Holland), Senate Bill 1154 (Switalski, D-Roseville), Senate Bill 1155 ( Jelinek, R-Three Oaks), Senate Bill 1156 (VanWoerkom, R-Muskegon), Senate Bill 1157 (Thomas, D-Detroit) now await the Governor's signature. However, the fate of the MEAP replacement package is uncertain. The Governor has stated that she will not make a decision on this package until the final report of the Higher Education Commission headed by Lt. Governor John Cherry is presented to her on December 15. This report will delve into how to prepare high school students for postsecondary education. Return to Top Community Transition Team to Be Named for Detroit Schools Governor Jennifer Granholm announced last week that a review of the Detroit Public Schools finances is underway, with the goal of creating a deficit reduction solution, and that a community- based transition team will be created to provide input into that plan and help lay the groundwork for implementing the proposal. In making her announcement Governor Granholm thwarted the schools officials' hope that the state would back their proposal to allow it to float new deficit bonds. The Governor said she is not interested in "further encumbering the Detroit Public Schools with additional debt." The state will look at a way of refinancing current debt the schools held to control the deficit, to help lower the payments the district now has to make. She also sharply downplayed any suggestion that the state would eventually appoint a receiver for the Detroit schools. Given the interest the community had demonstrated in restoring an elected school board, Governor Granholm was confident that the residents of Detroit will accept the plan and proposals from the transition team. Costs will have to be cut, and that will mean schools will have to be closed, but the goal is to give parents as much time as possible to prepare for changes. The deficit reduction plan deadline is December 31, but the Governor said that may need to be adjusted because of the holidays. The community group named in the next two weeks, will include educators, labor leaders, representative from the Mayor's office, representative from Detroit legislative delegation, as well as from faith-based groups, and supporters and opponents of the proposal approved in November that restored an elected school board. From the state, Treasurer Jay Rising and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Watkins will participate in the review of the school's finances and the development of a deficit reduction plan. Mr. Watkins said the plan will have to have both a two-year proposal and a five-year plan. And Mr. Rising said the current one-year bond the district has to finance from its earlier deficit could be refinanced from over five years to 15 years. A special thank you to MFT&SRP President David Hecker, DFT President Janna Garrison, DAEOE President Ruby Newbold, DAEOE Vice President E'Lois Moore, D FT Vice President Virginia Contrell, and MFT&SRP Vice President Patrick Falcusan for meeting with legislative leaders in Lansing on December 8 to express their concerns and view points on Detroit Public Schools. Return to Top Community College District Board Elections House Bill 6242 (Caswell, R-Hillsdale) discontinues the authority of a K-12 school district to elect a member to a community college district board. Previously, if a school district that operates grades kindergarten through twelve was annexed to a community college district, the school district was entitled to elect a member to the board of trustees of the community college district for a six-year term. Under House Bill 6242, authority to elect a community college board member applies only if the annexation occurred before July 1, 2004. House Bill 6242 was passed by the House and Senate during the last few days of session and has been ordered enrolled. It now awaits the Governor's signature. Return to Top Pregnant & Parenting Students in Higher Education Senate Bill 72 (Sanborn, R-Richmond) passed the Legislature on the last day of session and now awaits the Governor's signature. It creates the "Pregnant and Parenting Student Services Act" to do all of the following:
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