David Hecker
President

Lois Lofton Doniver Secretary-Treasurer

Louise Somalski
Legislative Coordinator

July, 2006

Links to current Advocacy Campaigns
may be found in the Legislative Action Center

Budget Update

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School Aid

Total Appropriations. Allocates $13,093,745,100 for total School Aid Fund appropriations for FY 2006 - 2007. (Sec. 11(1)

Posting Budgets to Web. Requires districts to post annual operating budgets and any changes on their web sites, or on the intermediate district's web site if the district does not maintain one. (Sec. 18 (2))

Foundation Allowance Payments. Increases the basic foundation allowance to $7,085, a $210 per pupil increase over the current year, and made adjustments for taxable value and pupil estimates. (Sec. 20) (See Chart)

Equity Payment. Adds a new line item to provide additional per pupil payment of up to $23 to districts with FY 2005-06 foundation allowances below $7,150. (Sec. 22c) (See Chart)

Declining Enrollment. Appropriates $20,000,000 to make supplemental payments to districts experiencing declining enrollment in two previous fiscal years. If the district receives funding under Sections 6(4)(y) (previous declining enrollment provisions) or 22d (hold harmless), then it would not be eligible for a grant under this section. The payment would be equal to the district's foundation allowance multiplied by the difference between the district's 3-year average pupil membership and the actual pupil membership. This allocation would be prorated if the funding is insufficient. (Sec. 29 ) (See Chart)

At-Risk Funding/Teen Health Centers. Increases 2006 - 2007 appropriation by $5.25 million for a total of $319,450,000. The increase is used to fund pupil vision and hearing screening and the Mercy Education Project, an after school tutoring program for at-risk girls in grades 1 - 8 in Detroit Public Schools. (Sec. 31a)

School Readiness. Increases this line item by 8.2% but maintains the per pupil allocation at $3,300. Allows for any grant recipient to be able to use its original funding level to provide either a half-day or full-day program. (Sec. 32d and 39)

ISD Parent Involvement Grants. Increases FY 2006 - 2007 Appropriates to $5,000,000 for ISD Competitive Grants to provide programs to parents of children five or younger. ISDs can receive up to 3.5% of their 2001 - 2003 Section 81 payment. (Sec. 32j)

Teacher and Paraprofessional Requirements. Allows for teachers and paraprofessionals in school readiness programs to continue employment without certain credentials if either of the following: 1. the applicant submits a compliance plan and completes it within four years of employment; or 2. for a subcontracted program, the employee has at least 90 credit hours and at least four years' teaching experience in a qualified preschool program. (Sec. 32l and 37)

ISD General Operations. Increases FY 2006-07 appropriation by 3.1% to $80,110,900 to match the increase in the basic foundation allowance. (Sec. 81(1))

Michigan Virtual High School. Increases appropriation by $1,000,000. Of this increase, $500,000 is to be used for the My Dream Explorer grant. The remaining $500,000 is to be used for web-based testing resources. Adds a new subsection (10) requiring activities funded under this section to include the use of scientific method to critically evaluate scientific theories. (Sec. 98)

Math and Science Centers. Increases the state appropriation by $1,000,000 to $3,500,000 and continues federal funding of $4,456,000. The additional $1,000,000 is earmarked for those centers determined by the DOE as able to provide curriculum and professional development support to assist districts in implementing the Michigan Merit core curriculum components for math and science. Adds a new subsection (11) requiring activities funded under this section to include the use of scientific method to critically evaluate scientific theories. (Sec. 99)

Engineering Michigan's Future. Appropriates $20,000,000 in state funds for FY 2006 - 2007. Each district would receive a per pupil amount for each pupil actually enrolled in grades 6 to 8, estimated to equal $54 per eligible student. Funding shall be used to improve pupil performance in mathematics. Includes legislative intent language that funding in subsequent years would be based on improved pupil performance in math, and that the Legislature intends to determine standards for qualify as improved performance by March 1, 2007. (Sec. 99c) (See Chart)

Automatic External Defibrillators. Provides for grants to districts to purchase automated external defibrillators (AED). Districts must provide a 50% local match. Priority shall be given to districts with a high percentage of pupils eligible for free breakfast, lunch, or milk. Districts that already have at least one AED in the district will not be eligible until all districts in the State have at least one AED per district. (Sec. 99d)

Financial Emergency Funding. Appropriates $125,000 to Inkster Schools as Financial Emergency Funding. (Sec. 99e)

School Mapping. Appropriates $350,000 for mapping of school buildings for the purposes of security. Specifies that $105,000 goes to Clare Gladwin ISD. (Sec. 99f)

Hours of Pupil Instruction. Reduces the number of hours allowed as professional development to be counted as instruction from 51 to 38. Districts with union contracts permitting the use of up to 51 hours of professional development as hours of instruction can continue to do so until those contracts expire. (Sec. 101)

Schools of Choice. Adds a new subsection stating that if a district enrolls and counts a nonresident pupil in membership under the schools of choice provisions, the district must continue to enroll that pupil regardless of the pupil having been suspended or expelled from another district prior to the pupil being enrolled and counted in membership in that nonresident district. (Sec. 105 and 105c)

Adult Education Funding Formula. Appropriates $24,000,000 for FY 2006 - 2007, an increase of $3,000,000. From the additional funding $1,500,000 is to increase current programs to 107.5% of their 2005-06 allocation. Maintains current law regarding percentages for enrollment and completion. Allocates $1,500,000 for new adult education programs. From the $1,500,000 there will be not more than 3 grants awarded up to $200,000 each for innovative community college programs. (Sec. 107)

Retirement Rate. Estimates the FY 2006-07 rate to be 17.74%, an increases of 1.40%. (Sec. 147)

Programs Transferred. Transfers seven programs formerly funded in other department budgets with GF/GP in FY 2005-06. These include: Juvenile Detention Education, Youth Challenge Program, Vision and Hearing Screenings, School Breakfast Program, Pre-College Engineering Program, School Bus Safety Inspections and MEAP Assessments, for a total of $49.07 million.

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Community Colleges

Total Appropriations. Allocates $289,879,400 for the FY 2006 - 2007 Community College Budget. Recommends a 2.9% overall increase for community college operations, increasing funding for the Community College Budget by $8,327,000 over the FY 2005-06.

Renaissance Zone Reimbursements. Increases funding from $2,900,000 to $3,200,000 to reflect projected reimbursements pursuant to 1996 PA 376.

Abortion Coverage in Employee Health Insurance. Restores language eliminated by the Governor that prohibits the use of State funds for health insurance that includes abortion services for college employees. (Sec. 230)

Benefits for Unmarried Partners. Restores language eliminated by the Governor that prohibits the use of State appropriations to provide benefits to unmarried partners of college employees. (Sec. 231)

Performance Indicator Task Force/Full Funding of Gast-Mathieu Formula. Modifies current year language and adds a new section to state legislative intent that the formula developed by the Performance Indicators Task Force be used for funding distributions in future years. Data collected for the Gast-Mathieu Formula will also continue to be collected and maintained. (Sec. 304).

At Risk Student Success Program. Allocates the following at-risk funding for community colleges represented by AFT Michigan locals: Henry Ford - $151,900; Kirtland - $124,300; Lansing - $134,500; and Wayne County - $172,400. (Sec. 401)

At Risk Funds. Retains language that allows for At-Risk funds to be used for the purchase of information technology related equipment and software. (Sec. 401)

ITEM Funding. Retains language that states legislative intent to restore funding for infrastructure, technology, equipment, and maintenance. (Sec. 220)

Community College Increases. Retains language that states legislative intent to ensure community college funding increases are similar to university increases. (Sec. 239)

Economic Development Job Training. Retains language eliminated by the Governor that states legislative intent that 70% of the Economic Development Job Training grant money be awarded to community colleges. (Sec. 240)

Operations funding to Community Colleges represented by AFT Michigan are listed below:

Community College	FY 2005 - 2006 PA 154, 2005	FY 2006 - 2007 Senate Bill 1082	Percent Changes from FY 2005 - 2006
Henry Ford	$19,800,700	20,330,000	2.7 Increase
Kirtland	$2,666,800	2,749,100	3.1 Increase
Lansing	$28,097,100	28,890,800	2.8 Increase
Wayne County	$14,807,200	15,209,100	2.7 Increase

Note: FY 2005 - 2006 includes supplemental that restored $225,000 to Wayne County Community College
Sources: House Fiscal Agency and Senate Fiscal Agency

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Higher Education

Total Appropriations. Allocates $1,787,491,300 for the FY 2006 - 2007 Higher Education Budget, $53 million above the fiscal year of 2005 - 2006.

Funding Model. The basic formula allocates appropriations based on enrollment, degrees offered and what research is conducted. Education degrees in the subareas of math, science, technical and special education were given more weight and the research match rate was lowered with a cap for the University of Michigan and an overall limit placed at 2.9 percent.

Per-Student Floor Funding. Sets Per-Student Floor funding at $3,775.

Other Operations Adjustments. Adds 1.8% inflation for six universities: Michigan State, Michigan Tech, Oakland, UM-Ann Arbor, UM-Flint, and Wayne State.

State Competitive Scholarships. Federal Fund reduction resulted in total FY 2006-07 funding level of $34.1 million.

Michigan Merit Awards. Expenditures are projected to increase to $127.7 million.

Tuition Grants. Includes grant minimum of $2,000 and deadline of July 1, 2006. (Sec. 302)

Tuition Incentive Program (TIP). Expenditures are projected to increase to $14.0 million. Adds a requirement for students to request FAFSA filing information. (Sec. 310(3))

Michigan Leadership, Education and Development (MiLEAD) Initiative. Allocates $5,000,000 for a new program that would link academic learning with conservation-based community service needs, funded from the DNR's Civilian Conservation Corps Fund. (Sec. 313)

Education Degrees. Adds requirement for reports on efforts to increase education degrees conferred for teaching of middle and high school math, physics, chemistry, biology, and certain foreign languages, and degrees in critical shortage areas as determined by the superintendent of public instruction. (Sec. 711)

Operations funding to Universities represented by AFT Michigan are listed below:

University	FY 2005 - 2006 P.A. 154, 2005	FY 2006 - 2007 Senate Bill 1088	Percent Change from FY 2005 - 2006	FY 2006 - 2007 Per Pupil Appropriations
Eastern Michigan University	$76,140,600	$78,168,700	2.7% Increase	$4,126
Michigan State University	$283,730,300	$292,185,500	3.0 % Increase	$6,984
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor	$316,368,500	$325,796,300	3.0 % Increase	$8,288
University of Michigan - Dearborn	$24,739,200	$25,456,600	2.9 % Increase	$4,088
University of Michigan - Flint	$20,903,100	$21,520,300	3.0% Increase	$4,355
Wayne State University	$214,666,300	$220,033,000	2.5 % Increase	$8,818
Western Michigan University	$109,695,200	$112,876,400	2.9% Increase	$4,702

Sources: House Fiscal Agency and Senate Fiscal Agency

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Single Gender Classroom Bill Signed by Granholm

Single-gender schooling in Michigan is now permitted under Public Act 303 of 2006 signed by Governor Jennifer Granholm. The most immediate impact would be in Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids, where officials are exploring the option of creating a separate high school for boys and another for girls.

Senate Bill 1296(P.A. 303, 2006) permits a school district to establish and maintain a single-gender school, class, or program within a school if the school district makes available to pupils a substantially equal coeducational school, class, or program and a substantially equal school, class, or program for pupils of the other gender.

A school board or board of directors could not require any of its pupils to participate in a single- gender school, class, or program created under the bill, and would have to ensure that participation in a single-gender school, class, or program was wholly voluntary. Participation would not be considered voluntary unless the school district also made available to the pupil a substantially equal coeducational school, class, or program.

The bill signed by the governor amends the state School Code, which previously prohibited establishment of a separate school for persons based on sex. Senate Bill 1296 is not tied to Senate Bill 1305, House Bill 4264, or House Bill 6247. These bills make other provisions regarding single- gender classrooms, such as making an exception in the anti-discrimination sections of the state's Civil Rights Act, and have not yet cleared the Legislature.

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K-16 Initiative To Go To Ballot

The 40-day constitutional window for the Michigan Legislature to act has expired. The House and Senate have decided not to respond to the people's petition for adequate school funding - kindergarten through university.

Our K-16 Coalition proposal, certified by the State Board of Canvassers, now moves on to the November 7 Ballot. If approved by voters in November, the K-16 initiative will provide annual funding increases equal to inflation for K-12 public schools, community colleges and universities. Even if the ballot proposal passes, the Legislature will still have the power to amend them by a three- fourths majority.

About the time you are returning to school, we will be gearing up for this and other ballot proposal campaigns. Our thanks to all those members who have worked on this initiative. With your help and active participation at the local level in the K-16 Coalition's statewide campaign, we will maintain momentum with our message of a secure economic future for Michigan with investment in public education - kindergarten through graduate school - to produce a highly skilled, highly educated, can-do workforce.