Bill Text: MI HB4667 | 2009-2010 | 95th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: School aid; categoricals; pilot program for increased school counselors; create. Amends 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1601 - 388.1772) by adding sec. 99m.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-03-24 - Printed Bill Filed 03/20/2009 [HB4667 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2009-HB4667-Introduced.html
HOUSE BILL No. 4667
March 19, 2009, Introduced by Reps. Donigan, Gregory, Bauer, Liss and Valentine and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1979 PA 94, entitled
"The state school aid act of 1979,"
(MCL 388.1601 to 388.1772) by adding section 99m.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 99m. (1) From the state school aid fund money
appropriated in section 11, there is allocated an amount not to
exceed $5,000,000.00 for 2008-2009 for grants under this section
for pilot projects to evaluate the benefits of funding additional
school counselors.
(2) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation
with the Michigan school counselors association and the association
of Michigan school counselors, shall award at least 3 grants under
this section to applicant districts that agree to do all of the
following:
(a) Employ and assign sufficient qualified school counselors
to ensure that there is at least 1 qualified school counselor
available for every 250 pupils.
(b) Ensure that the school counselors employed by the district
are trained to implement and follow the Michigan comprehensive
guidance counseling program as approved by the state board.
(3) In awarding grants under this section, all of the
following apply:
(a) The superintendent of public instruction, in consultation
with the Michigan school counselors association and the association
of Michigan school counselors, shall ensure that at least 1 grant
is awarded to a rural district, at least 1 grant is awarded to a
suburban district, and at least 1 grant is awarded to an urban
district. The superintendent of public instruction shall also
attempt to ensure that there is geographic diversity among grant
recipients.
(b) To be eligible for a grant, a district must employ and
assign sufficient qualified school counselors at each of the
elementary, middle, and high school levels to achieve the ratio
described in subsection (2)(a).
(4) Grant funds awarded under this section are intended to be
for the first year of 3 years of funding. Not later than November 1
after the end of the third year of funding, the department, in
consultation with the Michigan school counselors association and
the association of Michigan school counselors, shall complete and
submit to the appropriations subcommittees having jurisdiction over
this act, the senate and house standing committees on education,
and the senate and house fiscal agencies an evaluation report that
analyzes the impact of additional qualified school counselors on
student achievement in the pilot project districts, including, but
not limited to, student achievement as measured by the Michigan
education assessment program, the Michigan merit examination,
graduation rates, and other criteria considered appropriate by the
department, the Michigan school counselors association, and the
association of Michigan school counselors.
(5) Notwithstanding section 17b, payments under this section
may be made pursuant to an agreement with the department.
(6) As used in this section, "qualified school counselor"
means an individual who meets 1 or more of the requirements of
section 1233(2) of the revised school code, MCL 380.1233.
