HB 4556: Education: examinations; certain requirements concerning the Michigan merit examination; modify. Amends sec. 1279g of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1279g). - Michigan

Substitute (S-3) - 5 → House Concurred Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill transitions from a Senate substitute to a House concurred version, incorporating significant new requirements for the Michigan Merit Examination. Key changes include adding a social studies component, mandating specific workforce readiness tests, and establishing strict timelines for administering the exam between March and June. The legislation also introduces new protections for students retaking the college entrance portion based on financial need and adds specific content requirements regarding genocide education.

Scope change

The scope of the assessment expanded to include a social studies component and workforce readiness testing, while the applicability of the exam was refined to include specific accommodations for nonpublic and homeschooled students.

REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory social studies component to the Michigan Merit Examination.

Added a requirement for workforce readiness tests to assess skills relevant to employers.

Mandated that the social studies component include questions related to genocide, specifically the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide.

TIMELINE

Set the administration window for the exam strictly between March 1 and June 1.

ELIGIBILITY

Created a fee waiver for retaking the college entrance component for students meeting specific income eligibility criteria.

DEFINITION

Defined specific terms including 'genocide' and 'social studies' to ensure consistent interpretation.

Substitute (H-2) - 2 → Substitute (S-3) - 8 · 4 edits

MODERATE

This bill update modernizes the Michigan merit examination by changing the legal citation to the 2025 session and clarifying that the work skills test is optional. It introduces a new waiver process allowing students to opt out of the workforce readiness assessment by February 28 of the testing year. Additionally, the requirements for including test scores on high school transcripts have been simplified and reorganized.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on the Michigan merit examination for grades 11 and 12, but the applicability of the workforce readiness test has been modified to allow for student opt-outs.

REQUIREMENT

The work skills test component of the Michigan merit examination is now explicitly defined as optional rather than mandatory.

The requirements for what must appear on a high school transcript were reorganized and simplified, removing redundant language about attendance days while retaining the requirement for scaled scores.

TIMELINE

A new provision allows students to waive the workforce readiness test by having a parent or guardian sign a form by February 28 of the school year in which the test is administered.

TECHNICAL

The legal citation referencing the act amending this section was updated from 2016 PA 170 to 2025 PA 57, and the bill header was changed to reflect Senate Substitute status.

As Passed by the Senate → Substitute (H-2) · 7 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to correct a legislative citation error, changing the reference from a 2025 law to a 2016 law. Additionally, the definition of the Michigan merit examination was expanded to explicitly include a social studies component and components required for federal approval. The bill also added new requirements for individual student reports, quality management standards for testing contractors, and specific deadlines for the testing process.

Scope change

The scope of the examination requirements was broadened to include social studies and federal compliance components.

TECHNICAL

Corrected the legislative citation for the law amending the section from 2025 PA 57 to 2016 PA 170.

REQUIREMENT

Added a social studies component to the list of required assessment instruments for the Michigan merit examination.

Added a requirement that the examination must include any other components necessary to obtain approval from the U.S. Department of Education for federal compliance.

Added a new requirement that individual student reports must identify whether students met or failed to meet expectations for each standard to help parents and teachers address problems before the student advances to the next grade.

Added a requirement that contractors scoring the examination must meet specific quality management standards, including Level 2 of the capability maturity model for the first year and Level 3 for subsequent years.

Added a requirement that contracts for the examination must include specific deadlines for all steps of the assessment process and penalties for noncompliance.

Removed the optional nature of the work skills test, making it a required part of the examination alongside the entrance test and M-STEP.

As Passed by the House → As Passed by the Senate · 8 edits · Mar 18, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate version significantly expands the Michigan Merit Examination (MME) by adding a new workforce readiness test component and a social studies section, while clarifying the inclusion of college entrance tests. It introduces a waiver process for the workforce test, mandates specific quality standards for testing contractors, and establishes strict rules limiting how many times a student can retake the exam. The bill also updates the transcript requirements to include attendance days and adds new provisions for home-schooled students and early middle college programs.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a mandatory workforce readiness assessment alongside the existing college entrance and social studies components, and it now explicitly covers home-schooled and nonpublic school students.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new workforce readiness test component designed to help employers assess student skills, with an option for parents to waive this test by February 28.

Added a specific social studies component to the examination, requiring questions on genocide, including the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide.

Clarified that the MME must consist of a college entrance test, an optional work skills test, and the M-STEP, replacing the previous list which did not explicitly name the college entrance test as a distinct component.

Added strict limitations on retakes: students can only take the full exam once, with a free retake of the college portion allowed only for low-income students whose scholarship applications were denied.

Mandated that testing contractors meet specific quality management standards (Level 2 or 3 of the Capability Maturity Model) and adhere to strict deadlines with penalties for non-compliance.

Required high school transcripts to include the total number of school days a student attended each year, in addition to scaled scores.

Added specific provisions for early middle college programs, requiring the exam be administered at the high school site and allowing a 5-year graduation rate for accountability purposes.

SCOPE

Extended the exam's applicability to include students in nonpublic schools and home schools, specifying how they will administer and receive scores for the test.

House Introduced Bill → As Passed by the House · 7 edits · Dec 18, 2025

MODERATE

The bill amends the Michigan Merit Examination requirements to include a new social studies component and mandates that the exam must meet federal 'No Child Left Behind' and 'Every Student Succeeds Act' standards. It also establishes strict rules for retaking the exam, limits the total testing time to 8 hours, and requires specific accommodations for students with disabilities. Additionally, the legislation updates definitions for terms like 'social studies' and 'genocide' to ensure alignment with state curriculum standards.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Michigan Merit Examination by adding a required social studies component and clarifies that the exam must align with federal educational laws. It also extends applicability to home-schooled and nonpublic school students.

REQUIREMENT

Added a mandatory social studies component to the Michigan Merit Examination to ensure a well-rounded assessment of student skills.

Updated the exam composition to explicitly include college entrance tests, work skills tests, and the M-STEP, while ensuring alignment with federal accountability laws.

Set a maximum total testing time of 8 hours to reduce student burden while maintaining assessment reliability.

Mandated that the exam be administered to home-schooled and nonpublic school students, with provisions for districts to administer the test if requested.

ELIGIBILITY

Established specific criteria for students to retake the college entrance component, limiting free retakes to low-income students whose scholarship applications were denied.

DEFINITION

Provided specific definitions for 'social studies' (including US/world history, geography, economics, and government) and 'genocide' to standardize curriculum expectations.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date of the amendatory act to June 30, 2026.

Education: examinations; certain requirements concerning the Michigan merit examination; modify. Amends sec. 1279g of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1279g).

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