Education (Curriculum)

passed both · Michigan · House Jul 1, 2026

HB 5338: Education: curriculum; instruction in organ and tissue donation; require. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1170c.

HB 5338 requires Michigan's education department to develop a brief, one-class-period presentation about organ, eye, and tissue donation - including information about the Michigan Organ Donor Registry - by January 1, 2027. Starting in the 2027-2028 school year, public schools are encouraged to provide this presentation to students before they complete 9th grade. Parents or legal guardians may request their child be excused from the presentation without penalty. The bill does not mandate school participation but ensures the presentation is created in consultation with the state's organ procurement organization.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds mandatory health curriculum component to K-12, enhancing educational content on organ donation awareness per curriculum requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Michigan · House Dec 17, 2025

HB 5363: Education: curriculum; parental opt-out option for instruction in sex education; require. Amends sec. 1507 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1507).

HB 5363 requires Michigan public schools to notify parents in advance if their child’s class covers topics like gender identity, sexual orientation, or relationships, and allows parents to opt their child out without penalty. It mandates that schools form parent-led advisory boards (with at least half non-school-employed parents) to review curriculum and report on program goals. The bill also requires public hearings before changing sex education materials and emphasizes abstinence as a primary method for preventing pregnancy and STDs. This directly affects public school students, parents/guardians, and school districts in Michigan.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts sex education curriculum via parental opt-out, advisory boards, and abstinence emphasis, limiting comprehensive content coverage in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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passed both · Michigan · House Mar 10, 2026

HB 5364: Education: other; revision to state academic standards; require approval of the legislature for. Amends sec. 1278 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1278).

HB 5364 requires Michigan's state board of education to obtain legislative approval - via a concurrent resolution from both the state Senate and House - before revising the state's recommended academic curriculum standards. The bill directly affects school districts, the state board, and legislators by preventing changes to standards without formal legislative consent. Key provisions include prohibiting standards from including "attitudes, beliefs, or value systems" unrelated to academic learning, while maintaining existing requirements for standards covering subjects like history (including genocide education) and assessments focused solely on academic skills. The bill does not alter current standards but changes the process for future updates. It is currently pending in the House Committee on Education and Workforce.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts curriculum changes by requiring legislative approval and banning non-academic content, limiting state board autonomy over standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Testing & Assessment

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passed · Michigan · House Apr 21, 2026

HB 4477: Education: curriculum; instruction in water safety; require. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1170c.

House Bill 4477 mandates that public school districts and public school academies provide water safety instruction to students. Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, students will receive age- and grade-appropriate water safety instruction as part of their physical education courses, covering topics such as proper use of flotation devices and awareness of water conditions. The Department of Education is tasked with developing a model water safety program for schools by December 2025. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services will create a multilingual informational notice on water safety, which all public and nonpublic schools must distribute annually to parents or legal guardians starting October 2026. The bill also grants civil liability immunity to institutions and individuals involved in developing and distributing this informational notice.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates water safety curriculum in physical education, enhancing student safety education as part of required school instruction.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Michigan · House Jun 26, 2025

HB 4689: Education: curriculum; the cultural history advisory board; create. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1164f.

HB 4689 creates a Cultural History Advisory Board within Michigan's Department of Education. The board, appointed by the superintendent of public instruction, must include 2 members from each of 8 cultural communities (Asian-American/Pacific Islander, Latino/Hispanic, Black, Middle Eastern/North African/Chaldean, Indigenous, Caribbean-American, Jewish-American, European-American), plus educators, school administrators, labor representatives, and higher education members. The board must recommend a K-12 curriculum tool kit and professional development on cultural history within two years, collaborating with cultural organizations and schools. This bill establishes the framework for developing educational resources but does not mandate specific curriculum changes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Cultural History Advisory Board to recommend curriculum changes reflecting diverse cultural perspectives, advancing inclusive education policy.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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passed both · Michigan · House May 13, 2025

HB 4239: Higher education: other; foreign influence of state institutions of higher education; prohibit. Creates new act.

HB 4239, the "foreign influence of state institutions of higher education act," prohibits Michigan public colleges and universities from entering agreements or accepting grants from specific "foreign countries of concern" (including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria) if those arrangements control curriculum, threaten U.S. security, or restrict contracting freedom. It requires all gifts from foreign sources to be formalized through written agreements and mandates reporting of certain gifts to state officials. The law also bars accepting items of value conditioned on promoting a foreign country's language or culture and requires cultural exchange agreements with listed countries to be reviewed by U.S. federal agencies for national security risks. These provisions directly affect all 15 Michigan public universities and community colleges.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill prohibits foreign influence on higher education curriculum, protecting academic integrity and security, thus supporting education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Higher Education

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 58: Education: curriculum; firearm safety instruction; provide for. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1163a.

SB 58 requires Michigan's Department of Education, with input from the Department of Natural Resources, to create a model firearm safety program for students in grades 6-12 by June 2025. The program must be at least 10 hours long, taught by certified hunter education instructors, and cover safe handling, storage, types of firearms, and hunting practices - without bringing firearms into school buildings. Schools may offer the instruction as an optional extracurricular activity or integrate it into existing courses, and students or parents can request excusal without academic penalty. Completing the program fulfills the hunter safety requirement for obtaining a hunting license under state law. The bill directly affects public schools, students in grades 6-12, and the state departments overseeing education and natural resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates creation of firearm safety curriculum for grades 6-12, expanding educational content without restricting existing programs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum School Safety

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Mar 5, 2025

SB 119: Education: curriculum; biology content standards and subject area content expectations and guidelines; modify to require instruction on human development. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1170c.

SB 119 requires Michigan public schools to include specific content about human development in biology curriculum by the 2025-2026 school year. It mandates that biology standards cover: (1) an overview of fetal development inside the uterus, (2) a minimum 3-minute high-definition ultrasound video showing early organ development, and (3) a computer animation depicting all stages of fetal growth with key developmental markers. This applies directly to Michigan public schools and biology teachers implementing the state’s required curriculum standards. The bill modifies existing education code sections to enforce these specific instructional requirements.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates specific human development content in biology curriculum, restricting academic freedom and curriculum flexibility per bill's requirements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Michigan · House Mar 11, 2025

HB 4175: Education: curriculum; merit curriculum requirement; modify. Amends secs. 1278a & 1278b of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1278a & 380.1278b).

HB 4175 modifies Michigan's high school diploma requirements by adding specific course credits students must complete. It requires all students graduating after 2023 to complete a half-credit personal finance course (fulfilling part of math, arts, or language requirements), while maintaining existing requirements for 4 math credits (including algebra I, geometry, and algebra II), 3 social science credits (including U.S. history and geography), 1 health/PE credit, and 1 arts credit. The bill also mandates two credits in a language other than English (including American Sign Language) for all students by graduation, with schools encouraged to offer language courses in early grades. These changes directly affect Michigan high school students and school districts responsible for implementing diploma standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds mandatory personal finance course to curriculum, enhancing financial literacy education within existing graduation framework.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Michigan · House Mar 26, 2025

HB 4286: Education: curriculum; health education standards and guidelines; modify to include instruction on human development. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1170c.

HB 4286 requires Michigan public schools to update health education curriculum standards by the 2026-2027 school year. It mandates specific content about human development, including an overview of pregnancy biology, fetal development inside the uterus, a 3-minute high-definition ultrasound video of early fetal organ development, and a computer-generated animation showing fertilization through birth. The bill directly affects Michigan public schools and the state Department of Education, which must revise curriculum standards to include these requirements. This is a concrete policy change to the health education curriculum, not a procedural or commemorative measure.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates specific human development content in health curriculum, strengthening educational standards per bill's requirements for updated curriculum standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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