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Lobby Day 2006 Hampered by BAD Weather
Budget Update
School Aid 2
Community Colleges
Higher Education
Graduation Requirement Bills in Conference Committee
School Employee Felony List Bill Goes To Conference Committee
Granholm Vetoes Teen Work Legislation Once Again
Lobby Day 2006 Hampered by BAD Weather
Despite the inclement weather, approximately 180 of the 208 registered AFT Michigan members attended Lobby Day on March 2. Unfortunately, many of our Legislators were not as brave. Added to the fact that the House legislative session ran longer than expected that day, their attendance was significantly less than anticipated.
We do want to thank our members for their support of Lobby Day and suggestions made on the evaluation forms. These are very helpful to us in trying to make Lobby Day interesting and effective for our members. Most of the comments would be broken into four categories: date, information packets, presentation, and format.
Lobby Day must be held on a Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday to have contact with Legislators. We try to work around winter break, spring breaks, and testing and conference schedules. This usually leaves us with only one or two possible dates open at the facility such as the Lansing Center or Radisson Hotel. Next year’s date has been tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, April 18.
Most of our members seemed to enjoy the power point presentations and the wrap-up session at the end of the day. We do appreciate your suggestions to improve Lobby Day and welcome them throughout the year. Thanks again for coming!
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Budget Update
Senate Appropriations Committee has reported out all education budget bills to the full Senate for their review and action. We expect these bills to be passed by the Senate by the end of this week. The House will begin committee action on budget bills the end of April. We are hopeful that all budgets will be completed by the end of June.
The following highlights focus on Senate budget action. For a comparison with the Governor’s proposal, see February’s Capitol Report on our website at: www.aftmichigan.org.
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School Aid
Senate Bill 1095 (S-1, Draft 1, as reported) appropriates $13,093,789,900 for the 2006 - 2007 fiscal year, about 2.5% more than the current year’s budget. This is $25,124,900 below the Governor’s proposal. Highlights include:
Foundation Allowance. The Senate proposal increases the basic foundation allowance by $225 per pupil to $7,100. (Sec. 20)
Reimbursement for Fingerprinting. The Senate adds $3.5 million to reimburse districts for cost of re-fingerprinting anyone previously fingerprinted between 1-1-93 and 12-31-05. (NEW Sec. 11M)
Equity Payment. The Senate adds a per pupil payment of up to $60 to districts with FY 2006-07 foundation allowances below $7,160. (NEW Sec. 22c)
Deficit Adjustments. The Senate adds a place holder for adjustments to the foundation allowances for districts facing an operating deficit.
School Readiness. The Senate increases this line item by 10% and increases per pupil allocation to $3,400. (Sec. 32d)
ISD General Operations. The Senate concurs with the Governor and provides for a 3.2% increase to mirror the foundations allowance increase. (Sec. 81(2))
ISD 0-5 Program. The Senate and Governor increase this line item to include learning opportunities promoting age-appropriate language, math, and early reading skills.
After–School Tutoring for At-Risk Female Pupils. The Senate adds funding of $100,000 earmarked to the Detroit Public Schools to provide after-school tutoring programs for at-risk girls in grades 1 through 8. (Sec. 31a(8))
Child and Adolescent Health Centers. The Senate adds $2.0 million to fund 11 centers that previously received planning grants. The Senate also increases the number of grant years to 5 beginning with FY 2003-04. (Sec. 31a(6))
Children of Incarcerated Parents. The Senate adds a pilot program for children with incarcerated parents. Eligible districts must have a free breakfast or lunch eligibility rate of 60% or more and must use the funds to provide video and/or audio conferencing and academic or social support from qualified personnel. (NEW Sec. 31c)
Declining Enrollment. The Governor appropriates $50 million to address the problems of eligible declining enrollment districts. The Senate deletes this provision. (Sec. 29)
Middle School Math Initiative. The Senate and Governor eliminate funding for this program.
Book-A-Month Program. The Senate appropriates $1,000,000 for a new line item for grants to provide children with a book each month from birth to age 5. (NEW Sec. 32m)
Automated External Defibrillators. The Senate adds this line item to provide grants for districts to purchase at least one AED. (NEW Sec. 99c)
Supplemental Foundation Allowance Payment for FY 2005-06. The Governor appropriates $41,500,000 to make an additional payment of $25 per pupil in FY 2005-06. The Senate does not include this supplemental payment; however, this Section is used as a place holder for adjusting the foundation allowances of districts with deficit operating budgets. (Sec. 22e)
School Readiness Competitive Grants. The Senate concurs with Governor and adds clarification language that the grants are for the purpose of preparing children for success in school, including language, early literacy, and early mathematics. (Sec. 32l)
Michigan Virtual High School. The Senate concurs with the Governor and adds language requiring the MVHS to provide online preparation resources for pupils that would be web- based tools for the ACT and the revised MEAP exam, and would include practice tests, test-taking strategies, diagnostic tools, self-paced online instructional tutorials, and electronic feedback reports for students and schools. (Sec. 98)
Math and Science Centers. The Senate concurs with the Governor and states that the additional $1,000,000 was earmarked for those centers determined by the Department of Education as able to provide curriculum and professional development support to assist districts in implementing the Michigan Merit core curriculum components for math and science. (Sec. 99)
Hours of Instruction. The Senate changes the number of professional development hours that can be used as hours of instruction from 51 to 38 after the expiration of current local bargaining agreements. (Sec. 101)
Enrollment of Pupils Under Schools of Choice. The Senate adds a provision 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 whether the pupil has been suspended or expelled from another district prior to the pupil being enrolled and counted in membership in that nonresident district. (Sec. 105(10) and Sec. 105c(10))
Adult Education. The Governor changes the payment to be based on 75% for enrollment and 25% for completion. The Senate retains current law such that payment remains at 90% for enrollment and 10% for completion. The Senate adds language stating that the additional $4.0 million must first be used for new programs with any additional funds allocated equally among existing programs. (Sec. 107)
Retirement Rate. The Senate concurs with the Governor and proposes the rate to be increased by 1.4 percentage points to a total of 17.74% of payroll, compared to the FY 2005-06 rate of 16.34%. (Sec. 147)
Programs Transferred. The Senate and Governor appropriate $48,973,400 to the School Aid budget for transferred programs formerly funded in other department budgets with GF/GP in FY 2005-06. These included: Juvenile Detention Education, Youth Challenge Program, Vision and Hearing Screenings, School Breakfast Program, Pre-College Engineering Program, School Bus Safety Inspections and MEAP Assessments.
Community College Support. The Senate replaces $43.9 million of General Fund support to the Community College budget with the same amount from the School Aid Fund.
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Community Colleges
Senate Bill 1082 (S-1, Draft), as approved by the full Senate Appropriations Committee:
Operations. The Senate appropriates a 2.1% increase over the current years budget. (Sec. 102)
- Wayne County Community College receives an additional $225,000 which restores half of the funds that had been cut in 2003 - 2004 that was added to the totals of three other colleges that year.
- The balance of the funding is distributed through the model adopted by the Performance Indicator Task Force.
- In addition, the Senate replaces $43.9 million of General Fund support with the same amount from the School Aid Fund.
At Risk Funds. The Senate restores language eliminated by the Governor that allowed for At-Risk funds to be used for the purchase of equipment. (Sec. 401)
Allocations to AFT Michigan locals are listed below:
| Community College |
FY 2005 - 2006
PA 154, 2005 |
FY 2006 - 2007
Governor’s Proposal |
FY 2006 - 2007
Senate Bill 1088 |
FY 2006 - 2007
At Risk Funding |
| Henry Ford |
$19,800,700 |
$20,196,700
2.0% Increase |
$20,153,800
1.8% Increase |
$151,900 |
| Kirtland |
$2,666,800 |
$2,720,100
2.0% Increase |
$2,721,700
2.1% Increase |
$124,300 |
| Lansing |
$28,097,100 |
$28,659,000
2.0% Increase |
$28,626,700
1.9% Increase |
$134,500 |
| Wayne County |
$14,582,200 |
$14,873,800 2.0% Increase |
$15,072,600* 3.4% Increase |
$172,400 |
**includes 1/2 restoration
Renaissance Zone Reimbursements. The Governor recommends a 10.3% increase for this program to reflect anticipated need. The Senate concurs. (Sec. 404)
ITEM Funding. The Senate restores language eliminated by the Governor that states legislative intent to restore funding for infrastructure, technology, equipment, and maintenance. (Sec. 220)
Community College Increases. The Senate restores language eliminated by the Governor that states legislative intent to ensure community college funding increases are similar to university increases. (Sec. 239)
Economic Development Job Training. The Senate restores 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)
Employee Health Insurance. The Senate restores language eliminated by the Governor that prohibits the use of state funds to provide benefits to unmarried partners or for abortion services for college employees. (Sec. 230 & Sec. 231)
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Higher Education
Senate Bill 1088 (S-1, Draft 1 as reported) appropriates a 2.3% increase over the current year’s budget. The Senate’s recommendation is $32.3 million more than the Governor’s proposal. Highlights include:
Across-the-Board Increases for University Operations. The Governor recommends a 2.0% increase for Michigan State, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, and Wayne State, and a 1.0% increase for the other 12 state universities. The Senate provides a 1.8% inflation increase for all 15 universities.
Formula Funding. At 12 of the state universities, the Governor allocates $1.5 million to each of 4 categories based on tuition revenue, financial aid expenditures, Pell Grant awards, and weighted degree completions. The Senate does not include this provision. (Sec. 418)
State Competitive Scholarships. The Senate retains the FY 2005-06 scholarship programs but does reduce $500,000 in Federal funds.
Tuition Grants. The Senate retains current-year program with an application deadline of July 1, 2006. (Sec. 302)
Michigan Merit Awards. The Senate concurs with the Governor and projects total FY 2006-07 expenditures of $127.7 million, with $55.9 million for the second payment for the class of 2005 and $55.4 million for the first payment for the class of 2006; no payments are included for class of 2006 out-of- state students. The FY 2005-06 appropriation is $126.4 million.
Tuition Incentive Program (TIP). The Governor adds FAFSA filing as a criterion for Phase I eligibility, and achievement of junior-level status at a four-year institution as a criterion for Phase II eligibility. The Senate adds only a requirement for students to request FAFSA filing information. (Sec. 310(3))
Michigan Leadership, Education and Development (MiLEAD) Initiative. The Governor adds a program to provide $1.0 million grants to higher education institutions for residential programs for at-risk youth to earn college credits while they perform conservation-based community service. The Senate adds eligibility for independent colleges and universities. (Sec. 313)
Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS). The Senate concurs with the Governor’s proposal to increase MPSERS rate to 17.74% for 2006 - 2007. (Sec. 437)
Allocations to AFT Michigan locals are listed below:
| University |
FY 2005 - 2006 |
FY 2006 - 2007 |
% Change |
| Eastern Michigan University |
$76,140,600 |
$77,511,100 |
1.8% |
| Michigan State University |
$283,730,300 |
$288,837,400 |
1.8% |
University of Michigan -
Ann Arbor |
$316,368,500 |
$322,063,100 |
1.8% |
| University of Michigan - Dearborn |
$24,739,200 |
$25,184,500 |
1.8% |
| University of Michigan - Flint |
$20,903,100 |
$21,279,400 |
1.8% |
| Wayne State University |
$214,666,300 |
$218,530,300 |
1.8% |
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Graduation Requirement Bills in Conference Committee
Senate Bill 1124 and House Bill 5606, setting new high school graduation requirements, have been sent to conference committee to iron out the differences. Each bill has its own conference committee comprising of three senators and three representatives. The major controversies include:
- Foreign Language - Senate Bill 1124 requires students to take two years of a foreign language during K-12 or pass an assessment. House Bill 5606 provides for a model policy developed by the Michigan Department of Education.
- Algebra II - Both bills require students to take Algebra II. House Bill 5606 contains a Personalized Curriculum option that may be agreed to by the student, parent, counselor, and administrator at the end of the 10th grade. The Senate proposal allows for an Individualized Learning Plan for Math and Science after the first semester of the 11th grade. The Algebra II requirement may be modified by completing the course over a two year period or by enrolling in a formal career and technical education program.
- Implementation - House Bill 5606 is tie-barred to the Ed Flex waiver bills. Senate Bill 1124 allows districts to phase in curricula requirements.
The Senate’s goal is to get the bills on the Governor's desk by the end of this week. Details will be available at the Bargaining Conference.
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School Employee Felony List Bill Goes To Conference Committee
House Bill 5675 (Rep. Rick Baxter, R-Hanover) was aimed at increasing the chances that future criminal history lists compiled under the Student Safety Initiative would be accurate — particularly by the time they get into the hands of the news media. By July 2008, lists should not be required as all school personnel would have gone through fingerprinting and background checks.
The House voted not to concur with the Senate amendments to House Bill 5675, sending it to conference committee to resolve points of difference before spring break. The differences between the House and Senate versions are:
- Under the House version, all the names of employees with felony and misdemeanor convictions would have been released, but under the Senate version only those convicted of felonies or sexual-related misdemeanors would be released.
- In the Senate version, the names of former school employees (who quit after December) would not be released. In the House version they would have been released.
- In the House version, there would have been a 14-day exemption period before the clock would start ticking on FOIA compliance. The Senate extended that period to 15 business days.
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Granholm Vetoes Teen Work Legislation Once Again
In keeping with her position that education should come first for 16- and 17-year-old students, Governor Granholm vetoed Senate Bill 179 that would have increased the amount of hours a pupil is allowed to work during school to 20 per week.
In her veto message the Governor explained that she is concerned increased hours in the workplace for students will lead to decreased performance in the classroom and on standardized tests. The Governor vetoed similar legislation in 2004, also introduced by Senator Stamas (R-Midland).
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