SCHOOL ADMINISTRATOR'S CERTIFICATE

Senate Bill 673 (Substitute S-1) 

Sponsor:  Sen. Ron Jelinek 

Senate Bill 674 (Substitute S-1)

Sponsor:  Sen. Michael Switalski

House Committee:  Education

Senate Committee:  Education

Complete to 4-25-06

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILLS 673 (S-1) AND 674 (S-1) AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 9-21-05

The bills would amend the Revised School Code to require the State Board of Education to develop a voluntary school administrator's certificate, and standards and procedures for implementation. The bills also would permit the SBE to develop certificate endorsements, and would establish fees for the certificates, as well as other fees. The bills are tie-barred to each other, so that neither could go into effect unless both were enacted.

Senate Bill 673 (S-1) would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1536) to require the State Board of Education to develop a school administrator's certificate for school district and intermediate school district superintendents, school principals, assistant principals, and other administrators whose primary responsibility was administering instructional programs. The bill would permit the board to develop appropriate certificate endorsements for school administrators, by elementary, secondary, and central office level. No person would be required to have a school administrator's certificate or endorsement to be employed as an administrator by a school district, public school academy, intermediate school district, or nonpublic school.

Under the bill, the State Board of Education would have to develop standards and procedures to address at least all of the following:  application for and issuance of certificates; the suspension and revocation of certificates and endorsements; educational and professional experience requirements; and continuing education requirements for periodic recertification.

The standards and procedures for suspension and revocation would have to be based on the standards and procedures for taking action against a person's teaching certificate in the code.

In developing these standards, the Department of Education would be required to consult and work with appropriate professional organizations, primarily those representing superintendents and building-level administrators. The department also could recognize performance-based professional learning programs offered by state professional associations for the purposes of adding specialty area endorsements for a school administrator's certificate. The programs would have to be approved by the department based on alignment with school administrator program preparation standards approved by the Board of Education.

Senate Bill 674 (S-1) also would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1538).  Currently the code includes a school administrator's certificate application fee of $125 for in-state applicants and $175 for out-of-state applicants. The bill would retain that provision, and would delete a school administrator's permit fee of $125. The bill also would add a school counselor license application fee of $125 for in-state applicants and $175 for out-of-state applicants. The renewal or reinstatement application fee for a school counselor license would be $125. The bill specifies that an individual holding a valid teaching certificate with a school counseling endorsement would not be required to hold a school counselor license in order to serve in a counseling role.

The code currently requires application fees of $125 for a vocational temporary authorization and $125 for an occupational education certificate. The bill would retain those fees for in-state applicants and for both certificates would raise the fees for out-of-state applicants to $175.

FISCAL IMPACT:

Senate Bill 673 (S-1) would create additional administrative costs to the Department of Education associated with the development of a school administrator's certificate.  These costs could be mitigated by increased restricted revenue derived from certification fees if the bills prompt additional administrators to seek voluntary licensure.

Under Senate Bill 674 (S-1), the state would see increased restricted revenue due to new out-of-state applicant fees for vocational temporary authorizations and occupational education certificates. The bill would also create a new fee for a school counselor license; however, this is not expected to significantly increase revenue because it would bring the statute in line with practice as school counselors are currently charged teacher certification fees.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Bethany Wicksall

                                                                                                                           Mary Ann Cleary

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.