Appropriations Update:
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees will meet on Wednesday morning this week for the May Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference to determine how much money is available both for the remainder of the current fiscal year as well as in the upcoming fiscal year. The House, Senate, and Administration will then utilize the final consensus revenue estimate to finish up budget work over the next few weeks before adjourning for the summer.
MEMSPA is following and advocating for number of items in the budget, and we will keep members updated.
Governor signs extension of critical shortage/substitute teacher sunset:
Governor Snyder last week signed House Bill 4422, sponsored by Rep. Holly Hughes (R-Montague), into law as Public Act 141 of 2018. HB 4422 extends the sunset of the current law allowing school districts to fill critical shortage and substitute teacher positions with retirees for three more years. The bill also expands the scope of positions in which schools can employ retirees without penalty to those funded under a federal grant awarded before the effective date of the bill as follows:
Next year's budget also includes proposed language allowing critical shortage flexibility for schools hiring retires to provide early literacy services with funding in Section 35a of the School Aid Act.
Finally, it is important to remember that schools will continue to be responsible for paying a 20.96% charge on these positions towards unfunded liability in MPSERS, as they are today.
Legislation of interest upcoming this week:
The Senate Education Committee will be meeting tomorrow, May 15 to consider additional legislation related to school safety, Senate Bills 957, 983, 990 and 991. The legislation would do the following:
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Require school districts to consult with local law enforcement agencies and adopt building plans at a public meeting before construction or major renovation of a school building,
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Eliminate the sunset on the Student Safety Act and require biannual updates to emergency contact information, and
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Require school safety assessments and development of emergency operations plans.
The committee will also be considering legislation to clarify allowing possession and application of sunscreen at school as well as legislation repealing the ability of MDE to renew lapsed provisional education certificates.
The House Education Reform Committee will hear a presentation from former Rep. Amanda Price, Chair of the Governor's Michigan PreK-12 Literacy Commission.
