SB 349: Education: examinations; opt-out option for the workforce readiness assessment portion of the Michigan merit examination; provide for. Amends sec. 1279g of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1279g). - Michigan

Substitute (H-1) - 4 → Senate Concurred Bill · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to modernize the Michigan Merit Examination by adding a new workforce readiness test component, introducing a waiver option for students to opt out of this specific test, and establishing strict quality management standards for exam contractors. The changes also expand the exam's scope to include nonpublic and home-schooled students and add specific requirements for accommodations and genocide-related content in the social studies section.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include nonpublic schools and home-schooled students, and the exam structure was modified to include a new workforce readiness component with an opt-out mechanism.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new workforce readiness test component designed to help employers assess student skills, with a waiver option allowing students to opt out by February 28 of the school year.

Mandated that exam contractors meet specific quality management standards (Level 2 and Level 3 of the capability maturity model) to ensure reliability.

Required the social studies component of the exam to include questions about genocide, specifically the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide.

Added provisions for students with disabilities to receive accommodations for the exam under federal and state laws.

Clarified that the complete exam should only be administered once per student, with specific rules for retaking the college entrance component under certain financial hardship conditions.

ELIGIBILITY

Extended the right to take the Michigan Merit Examination to students in nonpublic schools and home schools.

Substitute (S-3) - 5 → Substitute (H-1) - 3 · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was updated to reflect a House version of the legislation, changing the bill identifier from Senate Substitute (S-3) to House Substitute (H-1). The most significant substantive change is a one-year delay in the eligibility timeline for students to opt out of certain workforce readiness tests, moving the start date from the 2025-2026 school year to the 2026-2027 school year.

Scope change

The bill's applicability was adjusted to delay the implementation of student opt-out provisions by one academic year.

TIMELINE

The effective date for students to elect not to take specific workforce readiness tests was changed from the 2025-2026 school year to the 2026-2027 school year.

TECHNICAL

The bill header and page footers were updated to reflect the transition from a Senate substitute version to a House substitute version.

Substitute (H-1) - 2 → Substitute (S-3) · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill was amended to advance the timeline for student testing waivers by one year, allowing students to opt out of certain readiness tests starting in the 2025-2026 school year instead of the previously proposed 2026-2027 school year. This change accelerates the implementation of the waiver program, giving students and families earlier access to alternative evaluation methods for workforce readiness.

Scope change

The bill's applicability expanded forward by one academic year, shifting the effective date of the new testing waiver provisions from the 2026-2027 school year to the 2025-2026 school year.

TIMELINE

The start date for the student testing waiver program was moved up by one year, changing the eligibility period from the 2026-2027 school year to the 2025-2026 school year.

As Passed by the Senate → Substitute (H-1) · 2 edits

MINOR

This bill version was amended by the House to change the effective date for a new student testing option from the 2025-2026 school year to the 2026-2027 school year. The amendment also updated the internal document headers to reflect that this is the House substitute version rather than the Senate version.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the implementation timeline was narrowed by delaying the start of the new testing option by one year.

TIMELINE

The date for when students can opt out of certain tests to receive workforce readiness results was delayed from the 2025-2026 school year to the 2026-2027 school year.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated to indicate this is the House substitute version (H-1) instead of the Senate version (S-3).

As Passed by the House → As Passed by the Senate · 6 edits · Dec 16, 2025

MODERATE

The Senate version of SB 349 significantly expands the Michigan Merit Examination by adding a social studies component and a workforce readiness test, while also introducing new exemptions and protections. Key changes include allowing students to opt out of the workforce readiness test starting in the 2025-2026 school year, mandating that the exam be administered only once per student, and requiring the inclusion of genocide-related content in the social studies section. The bill also updates the exam's start date to after March 1 and clarifies that nonpublic and homeschooled students can take the exam.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a new social studies component and a workforce readiness assessment, while eligibility rules were modified to allow opt-outs for the workforce readiness test and to permit nonpublic and homeschooled students to participate.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new social studies component to the exam, which must include questions about genocide, specifically the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide.

Added a new workforce readiness test component designed to help employers assess student skills, with an opt-out option available for students and parents starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

Added a strict rule that the complete exam can be administered to a student only once, with retakes for the college entrance component restricted to low-income students whose fee waiver applications were denied.

TIMELINE

Changed the administration window for the exam to occur between March 1 and June 1, and updated the start year for the workforce readiness test opt-out to 2025-2026.

ELIGIBILITY

Added provisions allowing students in nonpublic schools and home schools to take the exam, with specific rules for how scores are reported for homeschooled students.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for 'Armenian Genocide', 'genocide', 'Holocaust', and 'social studies' to ensure consistency in the new content requirements.

Senate Introduced Bill → As Passed by the House · 7 edits · Dec 11, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates the Michigan Merit Examination requirements, introducing a new workforce readiness component that allows students to opt out starting in the 2026-2027 school year. It also establishes stricter quality standards for test contractors, mandates specific reporting on test accuracy, and expands the exam's applicability to include nonpublic and home school students.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the examination to include students in nonpublic schools and home schools, and adds a new component focused on workforce readiness skills.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new workforce readiness component to the exam that assesses skills useful for employment, with an opt-out waiver available for students beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.

Mandated that test contractors meet specific quality management standards, including Level 2 of the capability maturity model for the first year and Level 3 for subsequent years.

Required the provision of individualized reports to parents and teachers detailing whether a student met expectations for each standard to allow for early intervention.

Added new provisions requiring the exam to include questions on genocide, specifically the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide, aligned with state curriculum standards.

Established specific criteria allowing low-income students to retake the college entrance examination component of the test for free if scholarship applications are denied.

TIMELINE

Updated the timeline for the workforce readiness opt-out waiver to be submitted by February 28 of the school year, whereas the previous version had different deadlines.

SCOPE

Extended the ability to take the Michigan Merit Examination to students enrolled in nonpublic schools and home schools.

Education: examinations; opt-out option for the workforce readiness assessment portion of the Michigan merit examination; provide for. Amends sec. 1279g of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1279g).

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