The House Education Committee met Wednesday to take up a variety of bills that have been hanging on their agenda since before the pandemic struck Michigan in March, and while at least one dealing with alternative certification may have implications when schools return to session in the fall, none were directly responding to schools' needs post-pandemic. The committee took testimony, but did not vote on SB 657, which would create an alternative pathway to certification for special education teachers (Michigan's current alternative certification law expressly excludes special education). Committee members also heard testimony on and reported out HB 5482, which would require districts to print a suicide prevention hotline number on each student's school ID card (if the school provides printed ID cards)...the bill was introduced by Rep. Andrea Schroeder (R-Independence Twp.) in response to a pair of teen suicides in her community (this was only the first step in the legislative process for this bill and it now heads to the House Ways & Means Committee). The Senate Education Committee was also slated to meet this week and continue its series of hearings focused on (and largely critical of) education during the pandemic and, specifically, schools' Continuity of Learning Plans...the committee is expected to reschedule for next week with the Michigan Association of School Boards likely to be on the agenda for testimony. Finally, in some positive news, the Senate passed by voice vote Senate Resolution 124 – championed by Senators Winnie Brinks (D-Grand Rapids) and Pete MacGregor (R-Rockford) – which calls on the federal government to give Michigan flexibility in using CARES Act funding to backfill large expected budget holes (including one in the School Aid budget)...MASSP is told another resolution calling for additional federal funds will be coming next week.