GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS; LANGUAGE S.B. 171:
SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 171 (as introduced 3-7-19)
Committee: Education and Career Readiness
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:
-- Allow high school students to fulfill one foreign language requirement for a diploma by completing a formal career and technical education (CTE) program or by completing visual or performing arts instruction.
-- Eliminate a provision requiring a school district or public school academy (PSA) to report to the Department of Education how many students fulfilled a foreign language credit through a formal CTE program or curriculum or visual or performing arts instruction.
The Code requires students to meet certain credit requirements to receive a high school diploma. The credit requirements include at least two credits that are grade-appropriate in a language other than English, based on guidelines developed by the Department of Education. Students who graduate from high school between 2016 and 2024 could fulfill one of these credits by completing a Department-approved formal CTE program or curriculum, or by completing visual or performing arts instruction, in addition to the requirements for one credit in visual, performing, or applied arts.
The bill instead would allow a student to fulfill the foreign language credit requirement through a formal CTE program or visual or performing arts instruction.
The Code requires a school district or PSA to report to the Department the number of students who partially or fully fulfilled the language credit requirement in the preceding year through a formal CTE program or through visual or performing arts instruction. The bill would eliminate this requirement.
MCL 380.1278a Legislative Analyst: Dana Adams
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have a minimal positive fiscal impact on the Department of Education, school districts, and public school academies. The elimination of the annual report on foreign language requirement fulfillment would result in reduced administrative costs for the Department and local schools. The extent of these savings likely would be minimal and would not reduce overall expenditures by the Department or local school district and public school academies.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.