PUBLIC SCHOOL ACCREDITATION                                                                    S.B. 174:

                                                                                  SUMMARY OF INTRODUCED BILL

                                                                                                         IN COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Bill 174 (as introduced 2-21-17)

Sponsor:  Senator Marty Knollenberg

Committee:  Education

 

Date Completed:  2-21-17

 


CONTENT

 

The bill would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:

 

 --    Require the board of a school district to include the district and high school graduate report in its annual education report.

 --    Require an annual education report for a high school to include the number and percentage of pupils in postsecondary courses under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act, the Career and Technical Preparation Act, or a concurrent enrollment program.

 --    Eliminate a requirement that the board of a school district or intermediate school district (ISD), or board of directors of a public school academy (PSA), post on its website a notice of the adequate yearly progress status of each school it operates.

 

The bill also would repeal Section 1280 of the Code and eliminate references to that section. Section 1280 requires each public school within a school district to be accredited, prescribes the process for developing accreditation standards, specifies criteria for accreditation, and describes the consequences for failing to achieve accreditation.

 

The bill would take effect 90 days after its enactment.

 

Annual Education Report

 

The Code specifies that, in addition to the requirements for accreditation under Section 1280, if the board of a school district wants all of its schools to be accredited, the board must prepare and submit to the State Board of Education by September 1 each year an education report, and distribute it to the public at an open meeting by October 15. The bill would remove references to Section 1280, and refer instead to the Code.

 

The annual education report must include the following information:

 

 --    The accreditation status of each school within the school district, the process by which pupils are assigned to particular schools, and a description of each specialized school.

 --    The status of the three- to five-year school improvement plan for each school within the district.

 --    A copy of the core academic curriculum and a description of its implementation.

 --    A report for each school of aggregate student achievement based upon the results of any locally administered student competency tests, statewide assessment tests, or nationally normed achievement tests that were given to pupils attending school in the district.


 --    The number and percentage of parents, legal guardians, or individuals in loco parentis who participate in parent-teacher conferences.

 

The report also must include, for the year in which the report is filed and the previous school year, the district pupil retention report as defined in Section 6 of the State School Aid Act. Under the bill, the report instead would have to include the "district and high school graduation report" as defined in that section. (Under Section 6, that term means a report of the number of pupils, excluding adult education participants, in the district for the immediately preceding school year, adjusted for those pupils who have transferred into or out of the district or high school, who leave high school with a diploma or other credential of equal status.)

 

For a high school, the annual education report must include the number and percentage of pupils enrolled in the school who enrolled during the immediately preceding school year in one or more postsecondary courses under the Postsecondary Enrollment Options Act or under Section 21b of the State School Aid Act. The bill would remove the reference to Section 21b, and refer instead to the Career and Technical Preparation Act, or a concurrent enrollment program under Section 64b of the State School Aid Act. (The Career and Technical Preparation Act allows qualified pupils to enroll in courses or programs in career and technical preparation programs (programs that teach a trade, occupation, or vocation) at eligible postsecondary educational institutions. Section 64b of the State School Aid Act provides funding to school districts that support the attendance of pupils in a concurrent enrollment program, provided the districts meet certain requirements.)

 

Notices of Adequate Yearly Status & Accreditation Status

 

The Code requires the board of a school district or ISD or board of directors of a PSA to post the following notices on the homepage of its website: a) within 20 days after the board or board of directors is informed by the appropriate authority of the adequate yearly progress status of its schools for the most recent school year for which it is available, a notice of the adequate yearly progress status of each school it operates; and b) within 20 days after the board or board of directors is informed by the Department of Education of the accreditation status of its schools for the purposes of Section 1280 for the most recent school year for which it is available, a notice of the accreditation status of each school it operates.

 

The bill would delete the posting requirement concerning adequate yearly progress.

 

MCL 380.1204a & 380.1280e                                              Legislative Analyst:  Jeff Mann

 

FISCAL IMPACT

 

The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

 

                                                                                        Fiscal Analyst:  Cory Savino

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.