HB 6016

HOUSE BILL NO. 6016
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending section 1531i (MCL 380.1531i), as amended
by 2024 PA 49.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 1531i. (1) The superintendent of
public instruction shall establish a process for an individual to earn an
interim teaching certificate under this section that qualifies the individual
to teach in public schools and to earn a Michigan teaching certificate using
the process under this section. The process must meet all applicable
requirements for an alternative teaching certification process under the no
child left behind act of 2001, Public Law 107-110, or the every student
succeeds act, Public Law 114-95, as applicable. Beginning
July 21, 2027, the process described in this subsection must not allow for the
granting of an interim teaching certificate under this section for teaching
special education. The immediately preceding sentence does not prohibit an
individual who is granted an interim teaching certificate under this section
for teaching special education before July 21, 2027 from, subject to other
provisions of law and rules that would otherwise apply to that individual,
continuing to teach special education under that interim teaching certificate
after July 21, 2027.
(2) Except as
otherwise provided under subsection (1), the process established under
subsection (1) must provide that the superintendent of public instruction will
grant an interim teaching certificate to an individual who meets all of the
following, as applicable:
(a) Is a
participant in an alternative teaching program that is approved by the
superintendent of public instruction. To be approved, a program provider must
demonstrate to the satisfaction of the superintendent of public instruction
that it meets all of the following:
(i) Subject to subdivision (e), provides for
its participants an intensive training program in teaching that is determined
by the superintendent of public instruction to constitute the equivalent of at
least 12 college credit hours and that includes training in at least all of the
following subject areas:
(A) Child
development or child psychology.
(B) Family and
community relationships.
(C) Diverse
learners.
(D) Instructional
strategies.
(E) A form of
field-based experience in a classroom setting.
(ii) Has a proven record of producing
successful teachers or is modeled after a program that has a proven record of
producing successful teachers.
(iii) Its participants have a cohort grade
point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent on another
scale, as determined by the superintendent of public instruction, upon earning
the degree required under subdivision (b). If a cohort member has earned more
than 1 degree required under subdivision (b), the highest grade point average
earned by the cohort member must be used in calculating the cohort grade point
average under this subparagraph.
(iv) Accepts for participation only
individuals who meet the requirements of subdivision (b).
(b) Holds a
bachelor's, master's, doctorate, or professional degree from a regionally an institutionally
accredited college or university.
(c) Passes the
appropriate available subject area examination for each subject area in which
the individual applies to be certified.
(d) Subject to
subdivision (e) and notwithstanding any other provision of law or rule to the
contrary, if the individual does not hold a Michigan teaching certificate, for
an interim teaching certificate under this section for teaching special
education, the individual has completed a training program for teaching special
education students that is determined by the superintendent of public
instruction to constitute the equivalent of at least 32 college credit hours,
or equivalent clock hours, equal to 7 hours of instruction per credit hour, and
that includes training in at least both of the following:
(i) The requisite knowledge, understanding,
skills, and dispositions for effective practice concerning all of the
following:
(A) Utilizing
research-based models, theories, and philosophies for teaching students with an
array of disabilities within different placements.
(B) Assessing
students with disabilities for identification and teaching.
(C) Implementing
accommodations and modifications for classroom assessments, school district,
intermediate school district, or public school academy assessments, and
statewide assessments.
(D) Using assistive
technology devices to increase, maintain, or improve the capabilities of
students with impairments.
(E) Communicating,
consulting, and collaborating with parents and legal guardians,
paraprofessionals, general educators, administrators, and human services
personnel.
(F) Developing,
implementing, and evaluating individualized education programs.
(G) Planning,
organizing, scheduling, and conducting individualized education program team
meetings, including parental and student participation in those meetings.
(H) Preparing
students with disabilities for transitions, including the transition from
preschool to elementary school and the transition into postsecondary
environments and employment.
(I) Maintaining,
releasing, and transferring student records according to school district,
intermediate school district, or public school academy rules and policies and
state and federal laws, rules, and policies.
(J) Articulating
the historical and legal bases regarding special education, such as the concept
of free appropriate public education, general least restrictive environment
requirements, and family education and privacy rights.
(ii) Any additional criteria that the
department determines is appropriate in the teaching of special education
students.
(e) Notwithstanding
any other provision of law or rule to the contrary, if the individual holds a
Michigan teaching certificate, for an interim teaching certificate under this
section for teaching special education, the individual has completed an the accelerated
training program for teaching special education students as described in subdivision (d) that meets criteria
established by the department and that is approved by the superintendent of
public instruction. An individual described in this subdivision is not required to meet the requirements under
subdivision (d) and is not required to complete an intensive training
program in teaching as described under subdivision (a)(i).
(3) An individual
earning a Michigan teaching certificate using the process under this section
will be subject to provisions of administrative rules governing teachers, as
established by the superintendent of public instruction.
(4) An individual
who possesses an interim teaching certificate under this section may be
employed to teach in a public school in the same manner as an individual
holding a Michigan teaching certificate issued under section 1531 if both of
the following requirements are met:
(a) While the
individual is teaching under an interim teaching certificate, the school
district or public school academy in which the individual is teaching provides
intensive observation and coaching in a manner and to the extent prescribed by
the superintendent of public instruction.
(b) The individual
is making satisfactory progress toward meeting the requirements for being
awarded a Michigan teaching certificate under section 1531, as established by
the superintendent of public instruction under subsection (5).
(5) The
superintendent of public instruction shall develop standards for granting an
individual a Michigan teaching certificate issued under section 1531 after the
individual has demonstrated satisfactory teaching performance for 3 years under
an interim teaching certificate and has met the requirements established by the
superintendent of public instruction for a Michigan teaching certificate.
(6) The
superintendent of public instruction shall promulgate rules that the
superintendent of public instruction considers necessary to implement this
section.
(7) CEPI, in
consultation with the department, shall partner with 1 or more research
university or universities in this state to conduct a research study and
analysis on educator shortages in this state. The department shall make any
needed data available to CEPI and the selected research university or
universities described in this subsection to facilitate the study and analysis
described in this subsection. Using the study and analysis described in this
subsection, by January 1, 2022, CEPI, with
its partners under this subsection, shall submit an initial report to the
governor and the chairs of the senate and house standing committees responsible
for education legislation that summarizes available state data, provides a
baseline from which future comprehensive data analysis can begin, and includes
recommendations to policymakers concerning data-gathering activities that are
necessary to complete the comprehensive report described in this subsection,
and by January 1, 2023 and January 1 of each year, thereafter, CEPI, with its partners under this
subsection, shall submit a comprehensive report concerning educator shortages
in this state to the governor and the chairs of the senate and house standing
committees responsible for education legislation. The comprehensive report
submitted by CEPI under this subsection must include, but is not limited to,
all of the following:
(a) The number of
educator vacancies in this state, disaggregated by geographic region and by any
broad subject areas and educational settings required for those vacancies.
(b) The educator
retention rates in this state, disaggregated by geographic region, broad
subject areas and educational settings, number of years in the profession, and
educator demographics.
(c) The number of
graduates from approved, in-state teacher preparation programs, disaggregated
by the broad subject areas and educational settings of those graduates, if any.
(d) An analysis of
the regions in this state that present the highest need for educators based on
educator shortages in those regions, disaggregated by the broad subject areas
and educational settings of the positions in which there are shortages in those
regions.
(8) By January 1 of
each year, the department shall submit a report to the governor and the chairs
of the senate and house standing committees responsible for education
legislation regarding the number of interim teaching certificates issued under
this section for teaching special education and the retention rate for teachers
who began serving as teachers in this state through usage of an interim
teaching certificate issued under this section.
(9) As used in this
section:
(a)
"CEPI" means the center for educational performance and information
created under section 94a of the state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1694a.
(b)
"Cohort" means all of the individuals enrolled in an alternative
teaching program approved by the superintendent of public instruction for the 3
years immediately preceding the granting of an interim teaching certificate
under this section to an individual enrolled in the alternative teaching
program.
(c) "Subject
area examination" means that term as defined in section 1531.