Public Act 205 of 2009

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• Introduced by Sen. Wayne Kuipers (R) on November 10, 2009, to establish a process by which failed public schools could be placed under the control of a “turnaround school chief educational officer,” who could reassign (but not fire) employees, suspend employee seniority systems and union work rules, and control curriculum and discretionary spending. Alternatively, management of a failing school could be contracted to a charter school management company.
  • Referred to the Senate Education Committee on November 10, 2009.
    • Reported in the Senate on December 2, 2009, with the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.
  • Substitute offered in the Senate on December 2, 2009, to replace the previous version of the bill with one that waters down the powers of the school turnaround officers, and also imposes new certification and/or advanced degree mandates on school superintendents and principals. The substitute passed in the Senate by voice vote on December 2, 2009.
  • Amendment offered by Sen. Liz Brater (D) on December 2, 2009, to require charter schools to report the number of special education students. The amendment passed in the Senate (20 to 16) on December 2, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
    • Motion in the Senate on December 2, 2009, to reconsider the vote by which the amendment offered by Senator Brater was adopted. The motion passed in the Senate by voice vote on December 2, 2009.
      • Amendment offered by Sen. Liz Brater (D) on December 2, 2009, to require charter schools to report the number of special education students. The amendment passed in the Senate (36 to 0) on December 2, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Passed in the Senate (28 to 8) on December 2, 2009, to establish a process by which failed public schools could be placed under the control of a “turnaround school chief educational officer,” who could request renegotiation of union work rules and tenure provisions, but would not have the authority to invalidate provisions determined to be impediments to progress. Alternatively, management of a failing school could be contracted to a charter school management company. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on December 2, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Education Committee on December 2, 2009.
  • Substitute offered by Rep. Tim Melton (D) on December 10, 2009, to adopt a version of the bill that includes various measures intended to make Michigan eligible for federal "Race to the Top" grants. The substitute passed in the House by voice vote on December 10, 2009.
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Tim Melton (D) on December 10, 2009, to require that charter school manager selected to operate a failed high school may only be one whose existing charters see 80 percent of their students enroll in college. Also, to add other restrictions. The amendment passed in the House by voice vote on December 10, 2009.
• Passed in the House (78 to 28) on December 10, 2009, to establish a process by which certain failed public schools could be converted into charter schools, but only if the charter manager meets very retrictive conditions the bill would impose, and only in 37 school districts where graduation rates are currently below 60 percent. The bill would also require school districts to adopt some form of merit pay; eliminate the current Algebra II high school graduation requirement; increase the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18; mandate the certification of school administrators; and more. Most (but not all) of these are measures intended to make Michigan eligible for federal "Race to the Top" grants. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on December 10, 2009.
• Failed in the Senate (1 to 31) on December 10, 2009, to concur with a House-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on December 19, 2009, to adopt a compromise version of the bill reported by a House-Senate conference committee. This would establish a process by not more than 10 failed public schools could be converted into charter schools, and existing charters that meet very high standards could be converted into "school of excellence" charters, freeing a regular charter slot under the existing cap. It is estimated that only around 30 new charters (including "schools of excellence" charters) would be authorized. The bill would also authorize the creation of two statewide "cyber-schools," require school districts to adopt some form of merit pay; essentially eliminate the current Algebra II high school graduation requirement; and mandate the certification of school administrators. Most (but not all) of these are measures intended to make Michigan eligible for federal "Race to the Top" grants. Passed in the House (82 to 17) on December 19, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on December 19, 2009. Passed in the Senate (23 to 8) on December 19, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Motion in the Senate on December 19, 2009, to give the bill immediate effect. The motion passed in the Senate (24 to 4) on December 19, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Jennifer Granholm on January 4, 2010.