STRICT DISCIPLINE ACADEMY S.B. 644 (S-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
Senate Bill 644 (Substitute S-1 as reported) (enacted version)
Sponsor: Senator Dave Hildenbrand
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to allow a strict discipline academy (SDA) to enroll a pupil who was placed in a high- or medium-security juvenile facility, mental health facility, or child caring institution operated by a private agency.
The Code provides for the establishment of SDAs specifically for enrolling the following types of pupils:
-- Pupils placed in the SDA by a court or by the Department of Human Services or a county juvenile agency under the direction of a court.
-- Certain pupils who have been expelled.
-- Other pupils who have been expelled from school, or those who have been suspended for more than 10 school days, and who are referred to the SDA by the pupil's school and placed in the SDA by the pupil's parent or legal guardian.
Additionally, an SDA must be open for enrollment of a special education pupil if his or her individualized education program team recommends placement in the SDA.
Under the bill, an SDA also could enroll a pupil who was placed in a high-security or medium-security juvenile facility, mental health facility, or child caring institution that was operated by a private agency.
The bill also would repeal Section 1311c of the Code, which requires the State Board of Education to submit to the Legislature an annual comprehensive report evaluating SDAs.
MCL 380.1311g et al. Legislative Analyst: Julie Cassidy
FISCAL IMPACT
To the extent additional students would be counted in membership as allowed under the bill and currently are not counted, the School Aid budget would see increased costs. Each additional full-time equivalent (FTE) pupil counted in membership would cost approximately $7,200 in foundation allowance funding, paid to the local strict discipline academy. At this time, the size of the potential universe of additional students allowed to be counted in membership by SDAs under the bill is unknown. The total existing population of general education FTE students at SDAs is roughly 275 to 300. It is likely that the additional general education FTE students who could be counted would not be a large number.
The Department of Education would see reduced costs due to the proposed repeal of Section 1311c of the Revised School Code, which requires an annual comprehensive report evaluating strict discipline academies and providing other required information on the academies.
Date Completed: 3-10-14 Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.