TEACHING CERT.; MODIFY REQUIREMENTS S.B. 161 (S-1):
REVISED SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 161 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:
-- Require teachers employed on or after August 1, 2023, to complete as part of a professional development requirement a course in first aid and CPR, unless the teacher could not because of physical limitations.
-- Modify certain requirements related to a teacher's passage of an examination before being issued a teaching certificate.
-- Require an individual to complete at least three years of successful experience in an appropriate assignment as specified by the bill before being issued a teaching certificate.
-- Allow an individual to demonstrate that he or she had been rated effective, instead of only highly effective, on his or her annual year-end evaluation for three out of five most recent school years to fulfill a requirement for the issuance of an advanced certificate.
-- If an individual held a teaching certificate from another state, country, or Federally recognized Indian tribe, require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue to an individual a Michigan professional education teaching certificate and applicable endorsements comparable to those an individual holds in that other location, without requiring the individual to pass the applicable subject area examination.
BRIEF RATIONALE
According to testimony, Michigan schools are struggling to retain teachers because of a variety of factors, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Some people believe that this teacher shortage leaves the teachers that remain overworked and the students underserved. Accordingly, it has been suggested that Michigan ease the process of entering the teaching field.
Legislative Analyst: Tyler P. VanHuyse
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on the Department of Education and on local intermediate school districts, school districts, and public school academies. The Department would experience one-time and ongoing costs to update the teacher license requirements, certify out-of-State teachers, and select subtests for pre-k to grade 3 or grade 3 to grade 6. The costs would include one-time information technology costs to update the teacher certification system, and staff to update the new teacher certification requirements and select subtests. The Department already has begun to update the teacher certification system so the one-time costs would be minimal and within current appropriation. The Department would need additional ongoing staff and administrative support to review the teaching experience of teachers from out-of-State instead of requiring a passed subject area examination. Ongoing costs would be minimal and likely would be supported with current appropriations.
The bill would have an indeterminate fiscal impact on local intermediate school districts, school districts, and public school academies. Schools likely would be able to hire additional teachers from out-of-State to reduce the need for long-term substitute teachers. It is unknown how schools would benefit in the State as whole because of different needs and situations for each school.
The fiscal impact resulting from the bill's CPR requirement would be minimal, because the initial teacher certification already requires first aid and CPR training. The bill would ensure that schools provided the first aid and CPR professional development for teachers who currently do not hold a valid certification. The number of teachers who do not hold this certification currently is minimal.
Date Completed: 8-22-23 Fiscal Analyst: Cory Savino, PhD
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.