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Forgive Detroit school debt
A state representative from the City of Detroit has introduced a bill that would require the state’s taxpayers to pay off a multi-million dollar debt for the Detroit Public Schools. House Bill 5600, introduced in early January by Rep. LaMar Lemmons III, D-Detroit, calls for the state to assume the debt incurred by DPS while it was under state control between 1999 and 2005. Recent media reports indicate the district has a $200 million deficit. The bill is assigned to the House Committee on Appropriations.
www.michiganvotes.org/2006-HB-5600
Money for employee fingerprints
A group of state representatives wants to give schools an additional $3.5 million to reimburse the cost of fingerprinting employees. House Bill 5609, introduced in January by Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, would give districts money for conducting criminal background checks on employees. Student safety legislation that took effect Jan. 1 requires the background checks, including fingerprinting, be done by July 2008. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Appropriations.
www.michiganvotes.org/2006-HB-5609
Local zoning for school construction
A bill introduced by Rep. Phil LaJoy, R-Canton, would amend the revised school code to allow for local zoning oversight of new construction or expansion of high schools. House Bill 5479 would require school districts to submit plans to a local zoning authority, which would then have 60 days to either approve the plan or offer suggested changes. If the 60-day period lapses, the school district "shall be considered to have received a written notice of concurrence." If there are suggested changes, the school board then would have 45 days to respond with a new plan incorporating the changes, or with an explanation of why the changes were not being made.
The requirement applies to expansions only if they are 20 percent or more of the existing structure, but does not apply to temporary structures or facilities that are needed due to unexpected enrollment increases and will not be used for a period of more than two years. The bill has been referred to the House Natural Resources, Great Lakes, Land Use and Environment Committee.
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5479
At risk teacher loans
House Bill 4129, introduced by Rep. Leslie Mortimer, R-Horton, would create a student loan forgiveness program for teachers in what are considered "at risk" schools. HB 4129 creates a new law, the "Excellence in Public Education Act," while a companion piece of legislation, House Bill 5210, would require the Department of Education to notify colleges and universities that offer a teaching degree, as well as identified at-risk school districts, about the program. HB 5210 was introduced by Rep. Glen Steil Jr., R-Cascade. The loan forgiveness program applies only to student loans obtained through a state program called "MI-LOAN," and would cost taxpayers between $500,000 and $1.5 million, according to the House Fiscal Agency.
Eligible applicants could receive grants equal to 10 percent of their outstanding loan debt each year, for up to 10 consecutive years, not to exceed $17,500 total. The legislation classifies "at risk" schools as those where a majority of students are eligible for federally-funded free or reduced cost breakfasts and lunches. Committee testimony showed 839 schools, or about 25 percent of schools statewide, fall into this category. The schools are spread over 206 of the state’s 700 school districts, intermediate school districts and charter schools and have an enrollment of about 239,000 students. HB 4129 passed in the Michigan House by a vote of 92-13 on Nov. 29, 2005 and was referred to the Senate Education Committee. HB 5210 passed 100-4 on the same day and also was referred to the Senate Education Committee.
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-4129
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5210
Hold harmless tax exemption
A metro Detroit legislator has introduced a bill that would exempt many homeowners and owners of qualified agricultural property from paying school taxes on "hold harmless" mills above the 18-mill non-homestead amount now being paid. House Bill 4125, sponsored by Rep. Paul Condino, D-Southfield, is before the House Education Committee. Under Proposal A, passed in 1994, homestead exempt principal residences and qualified agricultural property are assessed a 6-mill state education tax, while other property, including rental, commercial and industrial, are assessed an 18-mill levy in addition to the 6-mill SET. Certain higher spending districts, according to the House Fiscal Agency, are allowed to levy supplemental "hold harmless" mills beyond the 18-mill non-homestead tax in order to maintain the same level of per-pupil spending they had before Proposal A was passed. According to the House Fiscal Agency, only the Southfield and River Rouge public school districts currently fall into that category. If the bill passes, Southfield would receive about $2 million less in taxes, while River Rouge would receive about $63,500 less.
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-4125
Unused Merit Award money
House Bill 5232,
introduced by Rep. Bruce Caswell, R-Hillsdale, would require unused Michigan
Merit Award money be returned to the Department of Treasury. The bill passed the
Michigan House of Representatives 106-0 on Dec. 1, 2005 and was referred to the
Senate Appropriations Committee. Under current law, a Merit Award scholarship is
paid directly to the recipient’s college or university, according to the House
Fiscal Agency, and can be put toward tuition, fees, room and board, supplies,
daycare or transportation. More than $865,000 in unused Merit Award money was
returned to the state in fiscal 2005 by post-secondary institutions, due to
students withdrawing from school before the end of the term or semester, but an
undetermined amount apparently was given directly to the students who left
school without finishing their course of study. Money returned to the state
would be placed in an account, on behalf of the student, for five years, after
which time it would be escheated to the state. The bill would further require
the Michigan Merit Award Board to pay scholarship money, on behalf of winners,
directly to an approved college or university. The money now can be paid either
to the school or to the student.
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5232
Career and tech prep
A bill passed by the
Michigan House of Representatives would keep intact a program that allows high
school students to gain technical skills via dual enrollment in community
colleges and vocational training centers. House Bill 5282, introduced by Rep.
Lorence Wenke, R-Richland, would eliminate the June 30, 2006 sunset provision in Public Act 258 of 2000, also known as the Career and Technical Preparation Act. According to the House Fiscal Agency, Michigan and 30 other states allow dual enrollment, whereby high school students can take college level courses and receive credit at both institutions. Michigan law requires school districts to pay for students who take post-secondary classes, up to the pro-rated percentage of the student’s state aid. HB 5282 passed the House 106-0 in December and was referred to the Senate Education Committee.
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5282
More tax dollars for public schools
Two pieces of legislation aimed at increasing per-pupil expenditures in public schools passed in the state House of Representatives. The bills would spend part of a projected $55 million surplus in the state school aid fund.
House Bill 5436,
introduced by Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Midland, would spend up to $49 more per
student for middle school math programs, for a total expenditure of $18.5
million. House Bill 5452, introduced by Rep. Tim Moore, R-Farwell, would use
$16.5 million of the surplus, giving an extra $25 per pupil to school districts
with a foundation allowance below $7,200. These dollars would be in addition to
the extra $175 public schools are to receive for each student as part of the
approved budget for fiscal 2006, which increased the foundation allowance to a
minimum of $6,875.
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5436
www.michiganvotes.org/2005-HB-5452
