This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
On Tuesday, the House K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee took testimony from MASSP's Bob Kefgen highlighting how outdated and overly rigid state policies, particularly with regard to pupil accounting, are obstructing educational innovation and limiting schools’ ability to meet student needs…MASSP urged MDE and lawmakers to follow the example of other states that have removed policy barriers and encouraged schools to adopt innovative learning models and instructional strategies that better serve today’s learners (you…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
On Tuesday, the House K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee continued budget hearings this week, taking testimony from members of the Michigan Personalized Learning Taskforce: Dr. Rebekah Redmer (Executive Director of Innovative Programming, Jenison Public Schools) presented on shared time, Mitch Cummings (Director of Offsite and Alternative Learning, Berrien Springs Public Schools) spoke to the ways in which current state accountability systems discourage alternative education programs, and Lisa Sitkins (President and CEO, LSS Connections and…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
The Michigan Legislature returns from spring recess this coming week, with lawmakers expected to resume work on the state budget and the House Education and Workforce Committee likely to pick up where it left off before the break, having been busy moving and hearing several education bills. Just before recess, the Committee approved a series of bills including HB 4155 (requiring MDE to create a vetted list of curriculum and assessment vendors),…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
This week, the House Education Committee continued their work on the House Republican Education Plan and advanced HJR E (which proposes a Constitutional amendment to make the State Superintendent of Public Instruction a gubernatorial appointment rather than a position hired by the State Board of Education) and held testimony on five education bills—HB 4155, HB 4156, HB 4157, HB 4158, and HB 4159—that include things like modifying graduation requirements and overhauling the…
Implementing Threat Reporting & Response Systems Under HB 5549
By Tom Lietz, MASSP Associate Director for Training and Development, and Bob Kefgen, MASSP Associate Director for Government Relations. Michigan’s new Behavior Threat Assessment and Management Team (BTAM Team) requirements, established under HB 5549 (Public Act 272 of 2024), go beyond simply forming a team—they require clear systems for identifying, reporting, and responding to potential threats. In our previous article, we defined the statutory requirements of HB 5549 and suggested some first steps districts…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
On Wednesday, the House Education and Workforce Committee advanced HB 4150, HB 4151, HB 4152, and HB 4153, moving forward bills that would eliminate teacher licensing fees (but also create an $8 million revenue shortfall for MDE), allow teachers to add subject-area endorsements to their teaching certificates without additional coursework if they pass the appropriate Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC), and empower local school districts to award limited teaching certificates. These…
What Schools Need to Know About HB 5549 and Threat Assessment Teams
By Tom Lietz, MASSP Associate Director for Training and Development, and Bob Kefgen, MASSP Associate Director for Government Relations. A package of school safety laws that passed during the 2024 lame duck session are going to require some advanced planning and implementation work from Michigan's school leaders. Over the next several weeks, MASSP will be doing a deep dive into the details of these new requirements from a principal's perspective and covering…
Governor Whitmer’s State of the State: Key Education Takeaways
Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s 2025 State of the State Address touched on several issues that impact Michigan’s secondary schools, including student mental health and wellness, school accountability, and postsecondary opportunities. Proposed incentives for limiting cell phone use, a call for additional vaping regulations, and a focus on engaging young men with the state's scholarship programs all found a place in Wednesday's speech and all could have direct implications for high school administrators. With…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
On Wednesday, the House Education and Workforce Committee took testimony but did not vote on HB 4060, which would allow Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) to contract with other ISDs for Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs—potentially expanding access and reducing costs for districts that currently send students across county lines for training. Also this week, lawmakers in both chambers worked late into the night on Thursday to pass a bipartisan compromise on…
Navigating New Requirements: A Principal’s Guide to Native American Regalia Policies
By Joe Esper, Principal, Traverse City West Senior High School House Bill 4854, sponsored by state Representative Helena Scott, establishes new protections for Native American students participating in school ceremonies of honor. Beginning April 2, 2025, all Michigan schools must allow Native American students to wear traditional regalia and carry culturally significant objects at events such as graduation and honor society inductions. This law affirms the rights of Native American students to…