- House Introduces Resolution to Remove Universities from School Aid Fund
- Road Funding Package Passes House
- President Issues Executive Order on Department of Education
- House Education and Workforce Committee
- House Committee Considers Bills Dealing with Foreign Grants and Programs
- Registration Now Open for Behind the Scenes at the Capitol
- Legislature Heads Toward Spring Recess
House Introduces Resolution to Remove Universities from School Aid Fund
On Wednesday, Rep. Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw Township) introduced House Joint Resolution H which would amend Michigan’s Constitution to ban the use of School Aid Fund dollars to fund university operating budgets. If passed, this would free up almost $500 million for use in K-12 classrooms.
HJR-H will need to pass the House and the Senate by 2/3rds votes and then it will go before the voters on the November 2026 General Election ballot. Upon introduction, MASB along with other education organizations, issued a statement in support.
Road Funding Package Passes House
On Wednesday, the House passed its road funding package, House Bills 4180-4187. It would shift funding in the state budget to put $3.2 billion toward transportation funding. It includes, as expected, the removal of sales tax from gas and replaces it with a tax that would be directed toward road funding.
In exchange for removing gas from the sales tax, House Bill 4185 directs $755 million of the sales tax that currently goes to the General Fund to the School Aid Fund. This amount is based on the past three-year average deposit from sales tax on gas. It would create a $755 million hole in the GF but would maintain SAF revenues into the future.
The bills now go to the Senate and negotiations should begin between the chambers on how best to fund road improvements.
President Issues Executive Order on Department of Education
On Thursday, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order directing the Secretary of Education to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education”. Titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities,” the President says its purpose is to return “authority over education to the States and local communities”.
While the Secretary of Education and the Department of Government Efficiency have already slashed many jobs within the Department, the President cannot shut it down by executive order. The Department was established by law, the Department of Education Organization Act, in 1979. It would take an act of Congress to abolish the Department.
House Education and Workforce Committee
Wednesday, House Education and Workforce Committee heard testimony on more bills included in the Republican Education Package.
House Bill 4155 proposes that the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) create and maintain an annually updated list of recommended curriculum and assessment companies for school district use on the MDE website. Programs must align with state academic standards and provide cost and licensing options.
House Bill 4156 would add three credit requirements to the Michigan Merit Curriculum. The new credits would include courses in personal finance, workplace development, resume building and career path exploration. Additionally, the science credit requirement would increase from three to four credits. MASB opposes the bill because increased state requirements limit student electives and create challenges for students in alternative school programs.
House Bills 4157-4158 proposes the creation of a pilot program to develop an alternative to the M-STEP. This pilot program would be made available to 90 school districts across the state and be designed to be completed within three hours and return test results within 14 days of completion.
MASB opposes these bills because students in the pilot program would be subjected to double testing. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) mandates every student take the M-STEP, and the pilot program would require students to take an additional assessment. We support looking for a replacement for the M-STEP, but not to the detriment of students.
House Bill 4159 mandates that the State Board of Education ensure K-6 content standards for reading and writing are based on the science of reading, including instructional methods and curriculum resources. Math standards for grades K-5 would be updated based on recommendations from the Michigan Department of Education and a newly formed committee of university math faculty members and elementary teachers.
House Committee Considers Bills Dealing with Foreign Grants and Programs
On Wednesday, the House Government Operations Committee took testimony on a package of bills aimed at limiting government contact with “foreign countries of concern”. These countries include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Syria and Venezuela. House Bill 4238 deals with public school grants and agreements.
Under the bill, a public school would not be able to participate in an agreement or accept a grant from a foreign country of concern under broad conditions. It also states that before a district enters into a cultural exchange agreement with one of these countries, it must submit the agreement to the federal agency in charge of national security. If that agency determines the agreement “promotes an agenda that is detrimental to the safety and security of the United States or its residents,” the district would not be able to enter into the agreement.
The entire package includes House Bills 4233-4241, covering things like land sales, higher education institutions, other public bodies and economic development. There were a lot of questions raised on all the bills during committee. Hearings are expected to continue.
Registration Now Open for Behind the Scenes at the Capitol
MASB’s Government Relations Team will be holding our next Behind the Scenes at the Capitol event on May 7, 2025, in Lansing. This day will include a budget update by the House Fiscal Agency and a legislative panel. We have invited the chairs and vice chairs of the House and Senate Education Committees. It’s also a great opportunity to network with fellow school board members.
We encourage you to join us on May 7. Registration is now open.
Legislature Heads Toward Spring Recess
After session on Thursday, the Senate adjourned until April 8, beginning the annual spring recess. The House is scheduled to be on recess April 1 – 11, but we are hearing rumors they may not meet next week either because many of their members will not be available for session. If the Legislature does not meet, News From the Capitol will take a break too. In the meantime, always feel free to contact us with any questions.
Happy Spring!