EXCEPTION TO MINIMUM INSTRUCTION

DAYS AND HOURS REQUIREMENT

House Bill 4206 as introduced

Sponsor:  Rep. Ben Frederick

Committee:  Education

Complete to 3-5-19

SUMMARY:

House Bill 4206 would provide an exception to the minimum days of student instruction requirement in the State School Aid Act; the exception would apply when the governor has declared a state of emergency.

Generally under the Act, districts must provide at least 1,098 instructional hours and 180 days of instruction. The first six days of instruction that are not provided because of conditions beyond the control of school authorities (including severe storms, fires, epidemics, utility power unavailability, or other specified events) are “forgiven” and counted toward the 180-day/1,098-hour instruction requirement. An additional three days may be forgiven with the approval of the superintendent of public instruction, typically referred to as a “snow day waiver.”

The bill would provide that, on days when instruction was not provided because the governor had declared a state of emergency, those hours or days would likewise be counted toward the requirement.  

MCL 388.1701

BACKGROUND:

The bill is understood to address the unusually high number of canceled school days in the     2018-19 school year, some of which occurred on days the governor had declared a state of emergency.[1] Reportedly, several districts in the Kent and Ottawa ISDs have already exceeded nine canceled days, with some districts up to 14 or 15 days.[2]  

FISCAL IMPACT:

                                                                                                                                                               

The bill would have no fiscal impact on the state and would likely have an indeterminate, but minimal, impact on districts. The bill could create some savings for districts by waiving days of instruction and the corresponding number of hours of instruction that would have to be added at the end of the school year, thus eliminating the additional utility, food service, and transportation costs.

                                                                                         Legislative Analyst:   Jenny McInerney

                                                                                                Fiscal Analysts:   Samuel Christensen

                                                                                                                           Jacqueline Mullen

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

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