An act to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled “An act to provide a system of public instruction and elementary and secondary schools; to revise, consolidate, and clarify the laws relating to elementary and secondary education; to provide for the organization, regulation, and maintenance of schools, school districts, public school academies, intermediate school districts, and other public school entities; to prescribe rights, powers, duties, and privileges of schools, school districts, public school academies, intermediate school districts, and other public school entities; to provide for the regulation of school teachers and certain other school employees; to provide for school elections and to prescribe powers and duties with respect thereto; to provide for the levy and collection of taxes; to provide for the borrowing of money and issuance of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness; to establish a fund and provide for expenditures from that fund; to make appropriations for certain purposes; to provide for and prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments, the state board of education, and certain other boards and officials; to provide for licensure of boarding schools; to prescribe penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” by amending sections 1526, 1531, 1531d, 1531j, and 1531k (MCL 380.1526, 380.1531, 380.1531d, 380.1531j, and 380.1531k), section 1526 as amended by 1995 PA 289, section 1531 as amended by 2018 PA 235, section 1531d as added by 2003 PA 18, and sections 1531j and 1531k as amended by 2018 PA 234.
Senate Bill 161 modifies certain requirements concerning teacher certification by amending the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1526 et seq.). It removes the statute that requires an individual to pass a subject-area examination in each of the corresponding certification areas to be issued a teaching certificate (secondary or elementary). For individuals seeking elementary level certification, the bill removes the requirement to pass both an elementary certification exam and subject-area exam. It also removes these examination requirements for teachers licensed in other states applying for a Michigan teaching certificate and for certified teachers seeking an additional endorsement. The bill modifies the examination requirement such that a teaching certificate or additional endorsement shall be issued to an individual who has passed “appropriate available examinations,” which replaces the current requirement to pass both subject-area and general certification exams. The required examinations are to be developed and/or selected by the superintendent of public instruction based on criteria recommended by a committee of teachers and other education experts.
SB 161 also expands eligibility for an initial or advanced professional teaching certificate to individuals who have completed at least three years in a teaching assignment that does not require an annual performance evaluation. It expands eligibility for an advanced professional teaching certificate to individuals who have been rated as highly effective or effective on their annual evaluation three of the five most recent school years and have not been rated as ineffective within the five most recent school years. Taken together, these amendments ease the process of attaining Michigan certification for teachers certified in other states or individuals seeking an initial or advanced certificate.
Co-sponsored by Sens.
Referred to the Committee on Education
Reported with substitute S-1
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Reported with substitute S-1
Substitute S-1 concurred in by voice vote
Passed in the Senate 37 to 1 (details)
Referred to the Committee on Education
Reported with substitute H-1
Substitute H-1 concurred in by voice vote
Passed in the House 109 to 0 (details)
Motion to give immediate effect
by
The motion prevailed by voice vote
Substitute H-1 concurred in 36 to 1 (details)
Motion to give immediate effect
by
The motion prevailed by voice vote
