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News From the Capitol Feb. 23, 2024

Senate Education Committee Approves Dyslexia Screening Requirements
Appropriations Subcommittees Begin Budget Hearings
Registration Now Open for Spring 2024 Behind the Scenes at the Capitol

Senate Education Committee Approves Dyslexia Screening Requirements

The Senate Education Committee approved Senate Bills 567 and 568 regarding the early detection of dyslexia and requiring teacher preparation institutions to teach specific literacy-related material.

While a few changes were made during committee, they did not address our major concerns with the bill, including its overly prescriptive nature. We strongly support identifying kids with signs of dyslexia as well as other reading disabilities by ensuring our literacy screeners and assessments catch all types of reading issues. The details of how to support our students should then be left to the detailed information created by the Department that is shared with districts. This would make it easier to adjust best practices as they change over time but would still allow all students to get the supports they need to be successful readers.

The bills now go to the full Senate for its consideration.

Appropriations Subcommittees Begin Budget Hearings

The Appropriations Subcommittees for the Department of Education and School Aid met throughout the week to hear presentations on the Governor’s proposals.

The Senate MDE Appropriations Subcommittee met on Thursday, Feb. 22. Shortly after that meeting, the House Appropriations Subcommittee met. Both heard from State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice about the proposed MDE budget.

Dr. Rice used the Top 10 Strategic Education Plan as his outline for his testimony. He highlighted the teacher shortage, the need to provide adequate and fair school funding, and the expansion of pre-k. Rice stressed that per pupil spending should meet the current rate of inflation at the very least.

On Tuesday, the Senate K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee met and later that week the House K-12 Subcommittee followed suit. Beth Bullion, Director of the Education Office and Alex Holmden, State Administrative Manager from the State Budget Office gave an overview of the 2024-2025 Executive Budget Recommendations for education.

Finally, the Senate Appropriations Committee also heard a presentation from Michelle Richard, acting Director of MiLEAP on its budget, focusing mainly on early childhood education.

Hearings will continue in both chambers on various issues of the budget over the next weeks. For a detailed look at the Governor’s School Aid Budget proposal, please visit our website.

Registration Now Open for Spring 2024 Behind the Scenes at the Capitol

Behind the Scenes at the Capitol will be held on Wednesday, April 24, in the Mackinac Room of the House Office Building in Lansing. Registration is now open!

This event will feature a panel of legislators discussing potential education issues for this year, a discourse on the changes to the superintendent evaluation law and a budget update, among other topics. It’s a great opportunity for members to network with others from around the state and advocate on behalf of their school districts with their state elected officials.