Education

in committee · Michigan · House May 13, 2025

HB 4155: Education: curriculum; recommendations for curriculum companies and assessment companies; require the department to provide. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1278e.

House Bill 4155 requires the Department to publish a list of recommended curriculum companies and assessment companies for use by K-12 public schools. By April 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Department must make these lists available to school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies. Recommended curriculum companies must offer programs aligning with state academic standards, provide evidence of effectiveness, and include provisions for accessibility and professional development. Similarly, recommended assessment companies must provide various assessments meeting state and federal requirements. It is important to note that schools are not mandated to use any of the companies or curricula on these recommended lists.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires department to publish curriculum/assessment company lists meeting state standards, evidence of effectiveness, and accessibility, enhancing curriculum quality and alignment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Testing & Assessment

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passed · Michigan · Senate May 6, 2025

SB 234: Education: students; wireless communications device policy; require the board of a school district or board of directors of a public school academy to implement. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1304.

SB 234 requires Michigan public school districts and public school academies to create and implement policies limiting student cell phone use during school hours starting in the 2025-2026 school year. The policy must restrict phones during instructional time, breaks, lunch, and recess, while requiring exceptions for emergencies, medical devices, and students with disabilities (as required by law). Schools must detail enforcement methods and post the policy on their websites. This directly affects all Michigan K-12 public schools and their governing boards. The bill does not ban phones outright but mandates structured policies to reduce classroom distractions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRestricts student phone use during instruction to minimize distractions and support learning environment, aligning with educational protection goals.90% confidence ✗ TechnologyOpposes TechnologyRestricts student cell phone use during school hours, directly limiting technology access in educational settings per bill's core requirement.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety Telecommunications

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in committee · Michigan · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 295: Education: curriculum; instruction in water safety; require. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1170c.

Senate Bill 295 requires Michigan public schools to provide water safety instruction to students. By the 2026-2027 school year, school districts and public school academies must offer age- and grade-appropriate water safety lessons, covering topics like safe behaviors in and around water and the importance of CPR, as part of physical education. The Department of Education will develop a model program for this instruction. Additionally, the Department of Health and Human Services will create a multilingual informational notice on water safety, which schools must distribute annually to parents and post online beginning October 2026. This bill aims to enhance water safety education for students across Michigan.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates water safety curriculum in physical education, expanding required educational content and enhancing student safety programs per bill's explicit requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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in committee · Michigan · Senate May 20, 2025

SB 315: Education: financing; sinking funds to be used for teacher housing; allow. Amends secs. 11a, 1141, 1212 & 1351a of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.11a et seq.).

Senate Bill 315 amends Michigan's revised school code. The bill specifically allows school districts to use their existing sinking funds for the purpose of providing housing for teachers. This expands the permissible uses of these funds, which are typically designated for capital projects like construction or repairs. The change offers school districts a new mechanism to finance housing options for their teachers.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows sinking funds for teacher housing, directly supporting educator retention through housing access and expanding funding mechanisms for staff needs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Teachers

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passed · Michigan · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 165: Appropriations: department of education; appropriations for fiscal year 2025-2026; provide for. Creates appropriation act.

SB 165 is a funding bill that allocates $166.4 million in state general funds for Michigan's Department of Education during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides specific appropriations for key programs including special education services ($9.8 million), Michigan Schools for the Deaf and Blind ($19.4 million), and departmental operations like information technology ($4.9 million). The bill directs state funds to cover salaries, program operations, and essential services across education departments, with additional support from federal and private revenue sources. It directly affects state education programs and administrative functions, ensuring funding continuity for existing services without creating new policies.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $166.4M for essential education programs including special education and school operations, directly funding public services per appropriations purpose.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $166.4M to Michigan DOE including $9.8M for special ed, $19.4M for schools for deaf/blind, and operations, directly funding education programs.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill allocates $4.9M for departmental information technology operations, directly funding technology infrastructure within education.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget School Funding Special Education

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in committee · Michigan · House Jun 10, 2025

HB 4553: Education: attendance; promulgation of certain rules that are more stringent than the requirements for claiming exemption from immunizations; prohibit. Amends sec. 1177 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1177). TIE BAR WITH: HB 4552'25

HB 4553 strengthens Michigan school immunization requirements by prohibiting schools from accepting less stringent exemption rules than state standards. It requires children enrolling in public or nonpublic schools (or entering grade 7 for the first time) to submit one of three documents: a physician’s immunization statement, a parent/guardian religious exemption form, or a physician’s compliance-in-progress statement. The bill also mandates annual reporting of student immunization and vision screening status (for kindergarten) to health departments. It directly affects all Michigan schools, parents/guardians of enrolled students, and local health departments responsible for data reporting. The bill is tied to companion legislation (HB 4552) and is currently in committee referral.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationStrengthens school immunization requirements to ensure student health and attendance compliance, directly protecting educational environment and safety standards.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStrengthens public health by enforcing strict school immunization requirements to prevent disease spread, directly advancing healthcare policy through mandatory vaccination standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Jun 11, 2025

SB 378: Education: school districts; letter grade system for ranking public schools; provide for. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1280h.

SB 378 requires Michigan public schools to receive annual letter grades (A-F) starting in the 2025-2026 school year based on five specific metrics: student proficiency in math and English language arts, student growth in those subjects, progress for English language learners, high school graduation rates, and academic performance compared to similar schools. The grades are assigned by the state education department using defined measures, such as growth from fall to spring assessments or maintaining proficiency. This directly affects all public schools in Michigan by publicly reporting their performance across these standardized indicators. The bill does not change school funding or operations but creates a new transparency framework for reporting school performance.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires annual school letter grades based on academic metrics (proficiency, growth, graduation rates) to drive accountability and improvement in public education performance.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Funding

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Jun 10, 2025

SB 376: Education: school districts; requirements related to the retention of certain grade 3 pupils; provide for. Amends sec. 1280f of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1280f).

SB 376 requires Michigan's Department of Education to approve reading assessments for K-3 students and establish literacy coaches to improve early reading instruction. It mandates that school districts implement literacy coaches with specific qualifications (e.g., bachelor's degree in reading, expertise in evidence-based methods) by 2027-2028, focusing on screening, data analysis, and targeted interventions for students struggling with reading. The bill also directs the department to develop dyslexia expertise and update resources by 2025, with technical assistance for schools. This directly affects K-3 teachers, students with reading difficulties, and school districts implementing the new requirements. The policy aims to prevent reading deficiencies through structured literacy support, not grade retention.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates literacy coaches with specific qualifications to improve early reading instruction, focusing on evidence-based interventions for struggling students and teacher support in K-3 literacy.95% confidence

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Jun 10, 2025

SB 377: Education: curriculum; alternative merit curriculum; provide for. Amends secs. 1278a, 1278b & 1531e of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1278a et seq.) & adds secs. 1278e & 1526c.

SB 377 amends Michigan's high school graduation requirements under the Revised School Code. It requires students to complete specific credit bundles, including 4 math credits (with new flexibility to fulfill some through career-technical education programs like computer science or engineering), 3 social science credits (covering U.S. history, world history, economics, and civics), and visual arts/performing arts credits. The bill directly affects all Michigan public high school students seeking diplomas by changing their course requirements. Key mechanisms include allowing career-technical education programs to count toward math credits and specifying exact social science course requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates comprehensive graduation requirements including social sciences, arts, and flexible math pathways, promoting well-rounded education and curriculum standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Curriculum Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Michigan · Senate Jun 11, 2025

SB 368: Education: other; definition of qualified higher education expenses under Michigan education savings program; expand to include certain K-12 tuition expenses. Amends sec. 2 of 2000 PA 161 (MCL 390.1472).

This bill amends Michigan's education savings program to expand "qualified higher education expenses" to include K-12 tuition at public, private, or religious schools. It directly affects Michigan families using the state's education savings accounts who wish to cover K-12 tuition costs. The key provision changes the definition in the program's law to explicitly include tuition expenses for elementary and secondary schools, aligning with IRS Section 529(c)(7). This allows account owners to withdraw funds for K-12 education without penalty, matching the current treatment for higher education expenses under federal law. The amendment applies to all accounts established under the Michigan Education Savings Program Act.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands education savings program to include K-12 tuition, increasing access to educational funding for families and aligning with IRS 529 provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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