SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REQ.; MODIFY                                              H.B. 4166 (H-1):

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

House Bill 4166 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Representative Matt Koleszar

House Committee:  Education

Senate Committee:  Education

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:

-- Delete references to repealed Section 1280c of the Revised School Code.

-- Repeal Section 1280g of the Revised School Code, which requires the Department of Education (MDE) to identify and rank public schools using a Statewide system of accountability measurements.

-- Replace provisions elsewhere in the Revised School Code pertaining to State school accountability measurements with references to the Federal accountability requirements as provided by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

MCL 380.392 et al.

BRIEF RATIONALE

School accountability systems are used to evaluate the ability of a school to educate its pupils and to serve as a point of comparison between schools. Michigan has two separate school accountability systems: the State A-F system and the School Index Score (and Parent Dashboard), which comply with Federal ESSA requirements. Some people believe that the A-F system is simplistic, punitive, and redundant when compared to the School Index Score. Accordingly, it has been suggested that the A-F system be removed.

                                                                            Legislative Analyst:  Abby Schneider

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would have a fiscal impact for the MDE and Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) and no fiscal impact on local intermediate school districts (ISDs), school districts, and public school academies (PSAs). The Department would experience decreased administrative cost by no longer being required to administer the statewide A-to-F school grading system. This would reduce personnel and information technology costs related to creating and publishing the A-to-F school grading system.

Savings from MDE personnel costs would be minimal since staff already does many of tasks required by the A-to-F grading system for the School Index Score, which is required by the ESSA. The CEPI would experience minor information technology savings by no longer being required to track the A-to-F grade for each school in Michigan.

Date Completed:  4-26-23                                             Fiscal Analyst:  Cory Savino, PhD

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.