Bill Text: MI HB5616 | 2009-2010 | 95th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Education; public school academies; establishment of "schools of excellence"; provide for. Amends secs. 5 & 6 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.5 & 380.6) & adds pt. 6e. TIE BAR WITH: HB 5617'09

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-12-02 - Printed Bill Filed 12/02/2009 [HB5616 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2009-HB5616-Introduced.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL No. 5616

 

December 1, 2009, Introduced by Reps. Jackson and Johnson and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

     A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled

 

"The revised school code,"

 

by amending sections 5 and 6 (MCL 380.5 and 380.6), section 5 as

 

amended by 2005 PA 61 and section 6 as amended by 2008 PA 1, and by

 

adding part 6e.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 5. (1) "Local act school district" or "special act school

 

district" means a district governed by a special or local act or

 

chapter of a local act. "Local school district" and "local school

 

district board" as used in article 3 include a local act school

 

district and a local act school district board.

 

     (2) "Membership" means the number of full-time equivalent

 

pupils in a public school as determined by the number of pupils

 

registered for attendance plus pupils received by transfer and

 

minus pupils lost as defined by rules promulgated by the state


 

board.

 

     (3) "Michigan election law" means the Michigan election law,

 

1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992.

 

     (4) "Nonpublic school" means a private, denominational, or

 

parochial school.

 

     (5) "Objectives" means measurable pupil academic skills and

 

knowledge.

 

     (6) "Public school" means a public elementary or secondary

 

educational entity or agency that is established under this act,

 

has as its primary mission the teaching and learning of academic

 

and vocational-technical skills and knowledge, and is operated by a

 

school district, local act school district, special act school

 

district, intermediate school district, school of excellence,

 

public school academy corporation, strict discipline academy

 

corporation, urban high school academy corporation, or by the

 

department or state board. Public school also includes a laboratory

 

school or other elementary or secondary school that is controlled

 

and operated by a state public university described in section 4,

 

5, or 6 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963.

 

     (7) "Public school academy" means a public school academy

 

established under part 6a and, except as used in part 6a, also

 

includes an urban high school academy established under part 6c, a

 

school of excellence established under part 6e, and a strict

 

discipline academy established under sections 1311b to 1311l.

 

     (8) "Pupil membership count day" of a school district means

 

that term as defined in section 6 of the state school aid act of

 

1979, MCL 388.1606.


 

     (9) "Regular school election" or "regular election" means the

 

election held in a school district, local act school district, or

 

intermediate school district to elect a school board member in the

 

regular course of the terms of that office and held on the school

 

district's regular election date as determined under section 642 or

 

642a of the Michigan election law, MCL 168.642 and 168.642a.

 

     (10) "Reorganized intermediate school district" means an

 

intermediate school district formed by consolidation or annexation

 

of 2 or more intermediate school districts under sections 701 and

 

702.

 

     (11) "Rule" means a rule promulgated under the administrative

 

procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328.

 

     Sec. 6. (1) "School district" or "local school district" means

 

a general powers school district organized under this act,

 

regardless of previous classification, or a school district of the

 

first class.

 

     (2) "School district filing official" means the school

 

district election coordinator as defined in section 4 of the

 

Michigan election law, MCL 168.4, or an authorized agent of the

 

school district election coordinator.

 

     (3) "School elector" means a person qualified as an elector

 

under section 492 of the Michigan election law, MCL 168.492, and

 

resident of the school district or intermediate school district on

 

or before the thirtieth day before the next ensuing regular or

 

special school election.

 

     (4) "School month" means a 4-week period of 5 days each unless

 

otherwise specified in the teacher's contract.


 

     (5) "School of excellence" means a school of excellence

 

established under part 6e.

 

     (6) (5) "Special education building and equipment" means a

 

structure or portion of a structure or personal property accepted,

 

leased, purchased, or otherwise acquired, prepared, or used for

 

special education programs and services.

 

     (7) (6) "Special education personnel" means persons engaged in

 

and having professional responsibility for students with a

 

disability in special education programs and services including,

 

but not limited to, teachers, aides, school social workers,

 

diagnostic personnel, physical therapists, occupational therapists,

 

audiologists, teachers of speech and language, instructional media-

 

curriculum specialists, mobility specialists, teacher consultants,

 

supervisors, and directors.

 

     (8) (7) "Special education programs and services" means

 

educational and training services designed for students with a

 

disability and operated by local school districts, local act school

 

districts, intermediate school districts, the Michigan schools for

 

the deaf and blind, the department of community health, the

 

department of human services, or a combination of these, and

 

ancillary professional services for students with a disability

 

rendered by agencies approved by the state board. The programs

 

shall include vocational training, but need not include academic

 

programs of college or university level.

 

     (9) (8) "Special school election" or "special election" means

 

a school district election to fill a vacancy on the school board or

 

submit a ballot question to the school electors that is held on a


 

regular election date established under section 641 of the Michigan

 

election law, MCL 168.641.

 

     (10) (9) "State approved nonpublic school" means a nonpublic

 

school that complies with 1921 PA 302, MCL 388.551 to 388.558.

 

     (11) (10) "State board" means the state board of education

 

unless clearly otherwise stated.

 

     (12) (11) "Student with a disability" means that term as

 

defined in R 340.1702 of the Michigan administrative code.

 

     (13) (12) "Department" means the department of education

 

created and operating under sections 300 to 305 of the executive

 

organization act of 1965, 1965 PA 380, MCL 16.400 to 16.405.

 

     (14) (13) "State school aid" means allotments from the general

 

appropriating act for the purpose of aiding in the support of the

 

public schools of the state.

 

     (15) (14) "The state school aid act of 1979" means the state

 

school aid act of 1979, 1979 PA 94, MCL 388.1601 to 388.1772.

 

PART 6E

 

SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE

 

     Sec. 551. (1) A school of excellence is a public school under

 

section 2 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963, is a

 

school district for the purposes of section 11 of article IX of the

 

state constitution of 1963 and for the purposes of section 1225 and

 

section 1351a, and is subject to the leadership and general

 

supervision of the state board over all public education under

 

section 3 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963. A

 

school of excellence is a body corporate and is a governmental

 

agency. The powers granted to a school of excellence under this


 

part constitute the performance of essential public purposes and

 

governmental functions of this state.

 

     (2) As used in this part:

 

     (a) "Authorizing body" means any of the following that issues

 

a contract as provided in this part:

 

     (i) The board of a school district that operates grades K to

 

12.

 

     (ii) An intermediate school board.

 

     (iii) The board of a community college.

 

     (iv) The governing board of a state public university.

 

     (b) "Certificated teacher" means an individual who holds a

 

valid teaching certificate issued by the superintendent of public

 

instruction under section 1531.

 

     (c) "Community college" means a community college organized

 

under the community college act of 1966, 1966 PA 331, MCL 389.1 to

 

389.195, or a federal tribally controlled community college that is

 

recognized under the tribally controlled community college

 

assistance act of 1978, Public Law 95-471, and is determined by the

 

department to meet the requirements for accreditation by a

 

recognized regional accrediting body.

 

     (d) "Contract" means the executive act taken by an authorizing

 

body that evidences the authorization of a school of excellence and

 

that establishes, subject to the constitutional powers of the state

 

board and applicable law, the written instrument executed by an

 

authorizing body conferring certain rights, franchises, privileges,

 

and obligations on a school of excellence, as provided by this

 

part, and confirming the status of a school of excellence as a


 

public school in this state.

 

     (e) "Entity" means a partnership, nonprofit or business

 

corporation, labor organization, or any other association,

 

corporation, trust, or other legal entity.

 

     (f) "State public university" means a state university

 

described in section 4, 5, or 6 of article VIII of the state

 

constitution of 1963.

 

     Sec. 552. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (2)

 

and (3), an authorizing body shall not issue a contract to organize

 

and operate a school of excellence to a person or entity unless the

 

person or entity has, for at least the 3 school years immediately

 

preceding the date of the application, operated a public school

 

academy that has received an accreditation grade of "A" on the

 

annual school report card issued by the department for each of the

 

3 years immediately preceding the date of the application.

 

     (2) For a person or entity that does not meet the requirements

 

of subsection (1) but has operated a public school in another

 

state, an authorizing body may issue a contract to organize and

 

operate a school of excellence to the person or entity if the

 

person or entity has operated a public school in another state that

 

has been given the highest designation under that state's

 

accountability system for at least 3 consecutive years.

 

     (3) For a person or entity that does not meet the requirements

 

of subsection (1) or (2), an authorizing body may issue up to 5

 

contracts per calendar year to a person or entity that does not

 

meet the requirements of subsection (1) or (2). However, the

 

combined total of contracts issued by all authorizing bodies under


 

this subsection shall not exceed a combined total of 25.

 

     (4) A school of excellence shall be organized and administered

 

under the direction of a board of directors in accordance with this

 

part and with bylaws adopted by the board of directors. A school of

 

excellence shall be organized under the nonprofit corporation act,

 

1982 PA 162, MCL 450.2101 to 450.3192, except that a school of

 

excellence is not required to comply with sections 170 to 177 of

 

1931 PA 327, MCL 450.170 to 450.177. To the extent disqualified

 

under the state or federal constitution, a school of excellence

 

shall not be organized by a church or other religious organization

 

and shall not have any organizational or contractual affiliation

 

with or constitute a church or other religious organization.

 

     (5) Any of the following may act as an authorizing body to

 

issue a contract to organize and operate 1 or more schools of

 

excellence under this part:

 

     (a) The board of a school district that operates grades K to

 

12. However, the board of a school district shall not issue a

 

contract for a school of excellence to operate outside the school

 

district's boundaries, and a school of excellence authorized by the

 

board of a school district shall not operate outside that school

 

district's boundaries.

 

     (b) An intermediate school board. However, the board of an

 

intermediate school district shall not issue a contract for a

 

school of excellence to operate outside the intermediate school

 

district's boundaries, and a school of excellence authorized by the

 

board of an intermediate school district shall not operate outside

 

that intermediate school district's boundaries.


 

     (c) The board of a community college. However, except as

 

otherwise provided in this subdivision, the board of a community

 

college shall not issue a contract for a school of excellence to

 

operate in a school district of the first class, a school of

 

excellence authorized by the board of a community college shall not

 

operate in a school district of the first class, the board of a

 

community college shall not issue a contract for a school of

 

excellence to operate outside the boundaries of the community

 

college district, and a school of excellence authorized by the

 

board of a community college shall not operate outside the

 

boundaries of the community college district. The board of a

 

community college also may issue a contract for not more than 1

 

school of excellence to operate on the grounds of an active or

 

closed federal military installation located outside the boundaries

 

of the community college district, or may operate a school of

 

excellence itself on the grounds of such a federal military

 

installation, if the federal military installation is not located

 

within the boundaries of any community college district and the

 

community college has previously offered courses on the grounds of

 

the federal military installation for at least 10 years.

 

     (d) The governing board of a state public university.

 

     (6) To obtain a contract to organize and operate 1 or more

 

schools of excellence, 1 or more persons or an entity may apply to

 

an authorizing body described in subsection (5). The application

 

shall include at least all of the following:

 

     (a) Identification of the applicant for the contract.

 

     (b) Subject to the resolution adopted by the authorizing body


 

under section 553(4), a list of the proposed members of the board

 

of directors of the school of excellence and a description of the

 

qualifications and method for appointment or election of members of

 

the board of directors.

 

     (c) The proposed articles of incorporation, which shall

 

include at least all of the following:

 

     (i) The name of the proposed school of excellence.

 

     (ii) The purposes for the school of excellence corporation.

 

This language shall provide that the school of excellence is

 

incorporated pursuant to this part and that the school of

 

excellence is a governmental entity.

 

     (iii) The name of the authorizing body.

 

     (iv) The proposed time when the articles of incorporation will

 

be effective.

 

     (v) Other matters considered expedient to be in the articles

 

of incorporation.

 

     (d) A copy of the proposed bylaws of the school of excellence.

 

     (e) Documentation meeting the application requirements of the

 

authorizing body, including at least all of the following:

 

     (i) The governance structure of the school of excellence.

 

     (ii) A copy of the educational goals of the school of

 

excellence and the curricula to be offered and methods of pupil

 

assessment to be used by the school of excellence. To the extent

 

applicable, the progress of the pupils in the school of excellence

 

shall be assessed using at least a Michigan education assessment

 

program (MEAP) test or the Michigan merit examination under section

 

1279g.


 

     (iii) The admission policy and criteria to be maintained by the

 

school of excellence. The admission policy and criteria shall

 

comply with section 556. This part of the application also shall

 

include a description of how the applicant will provide to the

 

general public adequate notice that a school of excellence is being

 

created and adequate information on the admission policy, criteria,

 

and process.

 

     (iv) The school calendar and school day schedule.

 

     (v) The age or grade range of pupils to be enrolled.

 

     (f) Descriptions of staff responsibilities and of the school

 

of excellence governance structure.

 

     (g) For an application to the board of a school district, an

 

intermediate school board, or board of a community college,

 

identification of the local and intermediate school districts in

 

which the school of excellence will be located.

 

     (h) An agreement that the school of excellence will comply

 

with the provisions of this part and, subject to the provisions of

 

this part, with all other state law applicable to public bodies and

 

with federal law applicable to public bodies or school districts.

 

     (i) For a school of excellence authorized by a school

 

district, an assurance that employees of the school of excellence

 

will be covered by the collective bargaining agreements that apply

 

to other employees of the school district employed in similar

 

classifications in schools that are not schools of excellence.

 

     (j) A description of and address for the proposed physical

 

plant in which the school of excellence will be located.

 

     (7) An authorizing body shall oversee, or shall contract with


 

an intermediate school district, community college, or state public

 

university to oversee, each school of excellence operating under a

 

contract issued by the authorizing body. The oversight shall be

 

sufficient to ensure that the authorizing body can certify that the

 

school of excellence is in compliance with statute, rules, and the

 

terms of the contract.

 

     (8) If the state board finds that an authorizing body is not

 

engaging in appropriate continuing oversight of 1 or more schools

 

of excellence operating under a contract issued by the authorizing

 

body, the state board may suspend the power of the authorizing body

 

to issue new contracts to organize and operate schools of

 

excellence. A contract issued by the authorizing body during the

 

suspension is void. A contract issued by the authorizing body

 

before the suspension is not affected by the suspension.

 

     (9) An authorizing body shall not charge a fee, or require

 

reimbursement of expenses, for considering an application for a

 

contract, for issuing a contract, or for providing oversight of a

 

contract for a school of excellence in an amount that exceeds a

 

combined total of 3% of the total state school aid received by the

 

school of excellence in the school year in which the fees or

 

expenses are charged. An authorizing body may provide other

 

services for a school of excellence and charge a fee for those

 

services, but shall not require such an arrangement as a condition

 

to issuing the contract authorizing the school of excellence.

 

     (10) A school of excellence shall he presumed to be legally

 

organized if it has exercised the franchises and privileges of a

 

public school academy for at least 2 years.


 

     Sec. 553. (1) An authorizing body is not required to issue a

 

contract to any person or entity. Schools of excellence contracts

 

shall be issued on a competitive basis taking into consideration

 

the resources available for the proposed school of excellence, the

 

population to be served by the proposed school of excellence, and

 

the educational goals to be achieved by the proposed school of

 

excellence.

 

     (2) If a person or entity applies to the board of a school

 

district for a contract to organize and operate 1 or more schools

 

of excellence within the boundaries of the school district and the

 

board does not issue the contract, the person or entity may

 

petition the board to place the question of issuing the contract on

 

the ballot to be decided by the school electors of the school

 

district. The petition shall contain all of the information

 

required to be in the contract application under section 552 and

 

shall be signed by a number of school electors of the school

 

district equal to at least 15% of the total number of school

 

electors of that school district. The petition shall be filed with

 

the school district filing official. If the board receives a

 

petition meeting the requirements of this subsection, the board

 

shall have the question of issuing the contract placed on the

 

ballot at its next regular school election held at least 60 days

 

after receiving the petition. If a majority of the school electors

 

of the school district voting on the question vote to issue the

 

contract, the board shall issue the contract.

 

     (3) Within 10 days after issuing a contract for a school of

 

excellence, the authorizing body shall submit to the superintendent


 

of public instruction a copy of the contract and of the application

 

under section 552.

 

     (4) An authorizing body shall adopt a resolution establishing

 

the method of selection, length of term, and number of members of

 

the board of directors of each school of excellence subject to its

 

jurisdiction.

 

     (5) A contract issued to organize and administer a school of

 

excellence shall contain at least all of the following:

 

     (a) The educational goals the school of excellence is to

 

achieve and the methods by which it will be held accountable. To

 

the extent applicable, the pupil performance of a school of

 

excellence shall be assessed using at least a Michigan education

 

assessment program (MEAP) test or the Michigan merit examination

 

under section 1279g.

 

     (b) A description of the method to be used to monitor the

 

school of excellence's compliance with applicable law and its

 

performance in meeting its targeted educational objectives.

 

     (c) A description of the process for amending the contract

 

during the term of the contract.

 

     (d) All of the matters set forth in the application for the

 

contract.

 

     (e) For a school of excellence authorized by a school

 

district, an agreement that employees of the school of excellence

 

will be covered by the collective bargaining agreements that apply

 

to employees of the school district employed in similar

 

classifications in schools that are not schools of excellence.

 

     (f) Procedures for revoking the contract and grounds for


 

revoking the contract, including at least the grounds listed in

 

section 561.

 

     (g) A description of and address for the proposed physical

 

plant in which the school of excellence will be located.

 

     (h) Requirements and procedures for financial audits. The

 

financial audits shall be conducted at least annually by a

 

certified public accountant in accordance with generally accepted

 

governmental auditing principles.

 

     (6) A school of excellence shall comply with all applicable

 

law, including all of the following:

 

     (a) The open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275.

 

     (b) The freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to

 

15.246.

 

     (c) 1947 PA 336, MCL 423.201 to 423.217.

 

     (d) 1965 PA 166, MCL 408.551 to 408.558.

 

     (e) Sections 1134, 1135, 1146, 1153, 1263(3), 1267, and 1274.

 

     (7) A school of excellence and its incorporators, board

 

members, officers, employees, and volunteers have governmental

 

immunity as provided in section 7 of 1964 PA 170, MCL 691.1407. An

 

authorizing body and its board members, officers, and employees are

 

immune from civil liability, both personally and professionally,

 

for an act or omission in authorizing a school of excellence if the

 

authorizing body or the person acted or reasonably believed he or

 

she acted within the authorizing body's or the person's scope of

 

authority.

 

     (8) A school of excellence is exempt from all taxation on its

 

earnings and property. Instruments of conveyance to or from a


 

school of excellence are exempt from all taxation including taxes

 

imposed by 1966 PA 134, MCL 207.501 to 207.513. A school of

 

excellence may not levy ad valorem property taxes or another tax

 

for any purpose. However, operation of 1 or more schools of

 

excellence by a school district or intermediate school district

 

does not affect the ability of the school district or intermediate

 

school district to levy ad valorem property taxes or another tax.

 

     (9) A school of excellence may acquire by purchase, gift,

 

devise, lease, sublease, installment purchase agreement, land

 

contract, option, or by any other means, hold, and own in its own

 

name buildings and other property for school purposes, and

 

interests therein, and other real and personal property, including,

 

but not limited to, interests in property subject to mortgages,

 

security interests, or other liens, necessary or convenient to

 

fulfill its purposes. For the purposes of condemnation, a school of

 

excellence may proceed under the uniform condemnation procedures

 

act, 1980 PA 87, MCL 213.51 to 213.75, excluding sections 6 to 9 of

 

that act, MCL 213.56 to 213.59, or other applicable statutes, but

 

only with the express, written permission of the authorizing body

 

in each instance of condemnation and only after just compensation

 

has been determined and paid.

 

     Sec. 554. If a school district or intermediate school district

 

applies for and obtains a contract to operate 1 or more schools of

 

excellence under this part, the power of the school district or

 

intermediate school district to levy taxes for any purpose under

 

this act is not affected by the operation of a school of excellence

 

by the school district or intermediate school district. Revenue


 

from taxes levied by a school district or intermediate school

 

district under this act or bonds issued by a school district or

 

intermediate school district under this act may be used to support

 

the operation or facilities of a school of excellence operated by

 

the school district or intermediate school district in the same

 

manner as that revenue may be used under this act by the school

 

district or intermediate school district to support school district

 

or intermediate school district operations and facilities. This

 

section does not authorize a school district or intermediate school

 

district to levy taxes or to issue bonds for any purpose that is

 

not otherwise authorized under this act.

 

     Sec. 555. (1) An agreement, mortgage, loan, or other

 

instrument of indebtedness entered into by a school of excellence

 

and a third party does not constitute an obligation, either

 

general, special, or moral, of this state or an authorizing body.

 

The full faith and credit or the taxing power of this state or any

 

agency of this state, or the full faith and credit of an

 

authorizing body, may not be pledged for the payment of any school

 

of excellence bond, note, agreement, mortgage, loan, or other

 

instrument of indebtedness.

 

     (2) This part does not impose any liability on this state or

 

on an authorizing body for any debt incurred by a school of

 

excellence.

 

     Sec. 556. (1) A school of excellence may be located in all or

 

part of an existing public school building. A school of excellence

 

shall not operate at a site other than the single site requested

 

for the configuration of grades that will use the site, as


 

specified in the application required under section 552 and in the

 

contract.

 

     (2) A school of excellence shall not charge tuition and shall

 

not discriminate in its pupil admissions policies or practices on

 

the basis of intellectual or athletic ability, measures of

 

achievement or aptitude, status as a student with a disability, or

 

any other basis that would be illegal if used by a school district.

 

However, a school of excellence may limit admission to pupils who

 

are within a particular range of age or grade level or on any other

 

basis that would be legal if used by a school district.

 

     (3) Except for a foreign exchange student who is not a United

 

States citizen, a school of excellence shall not enroll a pupil who

 

is not a resident of this state. Enrollment in the school of

 

excellence may be open to all individuals who reside In this state

 

who meet the admission policy and shall be open to all pupils who

 

reside within the geographic boundaries, if any, of the authorizing

 

body as described in section 552(5)(a) to (c) who meet the

 

admission policy, except that admission to a school of excellence

 

authorized by the board of a community college to operate, or

 

operated by the board of a community college, on the grounds of a

 

federal military installation, as described in section 552(5)(c),

 

shall be open to all pupils who reside in the county in which the

 

federal military installation is located. For a school of

 

excellence authorized by a state public university, enrollment

 

shall be open to all pupils who reside in this state who meet the

 

admission policy. If there are more applications to enroll in the

 

school of excellence than there are spaces available, pupils shall


 

be selected to attend using a random selection process. However, a

 

school of excellence may give enrollment priority to a sibling of a

 

pupil enrolled in the school of excellence. A school of excellence

 

shall allow any pupil who was enrolled in the school of excellence

 

in the immediately preceding school year to enroll in the school of

 

excellence in the appropriate grade unless the appropriate grade is

 

not offered at that school of excellence.

 

     (4) A school of excellence may include any grade up to grade

 

12 or any configuration of those grades, including kindergarten and

 

early childhood education, as specified in its contract. If

 

specified in its contract, a school of excellence may also operate

 

an adult basic education program, adult high school completion

 

program, or general education development testing preparation

 

program. The authorizing body may approve amendment of a contract

 

with respect to ages of pupils or grades offered.

 

     Sec. 557. In addition to other powers set forth in this part,

 

a school of excellence may take action to carry out the purposes

 

for which it was incorporated under this part, including, but not

 

limited to, all of the following:

 

     (a) To sue and be sued in its name.

 

     (b) Subject to section 555, to acquire, hold, and own in its

 

own name real and personal property, or interests in real or

 

personal property, for educational purposes by purchase, gift,

 

grant, devise, bequest, lease, sublease, installment purchase

 

agreement, land contract, option, or condemnation, and subject to

 

mortgages, security interests, or other liens; and to sell or

 

convey the property as the interests of the school of excellence


 

require.

 

     (c) To receive, disburse, and pledge funds for lawful

 

purposes.

 

     (d) To enter into binding legal agreements with persons or

 

entities as necessary for the operation, management, financing, and

 

maintenance of the school of excellence.

 

     (e) To incur temporary debt in accordance with section 1225.

 

     (f) To solicit and accept any grants or gifts for educational

 

purposes and to establish or permit to be established on its behalf

 

1 or more nonprofit corporations the purpose of which is to assist

 

the school of excellence in the furtherance of its public purposes.

 

     (g) To borrow money and issue bonds in accordance with section

 

1351a and in accordance with part VI of the revised municipal

 

finance act, 2001 PA 34, MCL 141.2601 to 141.2613, except that the

 

borrowing of money and issuance of bonds by a school of excellence

 

is not subject to section 1351a(4) or section 1351(2) to (4). Bonds

 

issued under this section shall be full faith and credit

 

obligations of the school of excellence, pledging the general funds

 

or any other money available for such a purpose. Bonds issued under

 

this section are subject to the revised municipal finance act, 2001

 

PA 34, MCL 141.2101 to 141.2821.

 

     Sec. 558. If a school of excellence is operated by a school

 

district that is subject to a court desegregation order, pupil

 

selection at the school of excellence is subject to that order.

 

     Sec. 559. (1) Except as otherwise provided by law, a school of

 

excellence shall use certificated teachers according to state board

 

rule.


 

     (2) A school of excellence operated by a state public

 

university or community college may use noncertificated individuals

 

to teach as follows:

 

     (a) If the school of excellence is operated by a state public

 

university, the school of excellence may use as a classroom teacher

 

in any grade a faculty member who is employed full-time by the

 

state public university and who has been granted institutional

 

tenure, or has been designated as being on tenure track, by the

 

state public university.

 

     (b) For a school of excellence operated by a community

 

college, the school of excellence may use as a classroom teacher a

 

full-time member of the community college faculty who has at least

 

5 years' experience at that community college in teaching the

 

subject matter that he or she is teaching at the school of

 

excellence.

 

     (c) In any other situation in which a school district is

 

permitted under this act to use noncertificated teachers.

 

     (3) A school of excellence may develop and implement new

 

teaching techniques or methods or significant revisions to known

 

teaching techniques or methods, and shall report those to the

 

authorizing body and state board to be made available to the

 

public. A school of excellence may use any instructional technique

 

or delivery method that may be used by a school district.

 

     Sec. 560. A school of excellence, with the approval of the

 

authorizing body, may employ or contract with personnel as

 

necessary for the operation of the school of excellence, prescribe

 

their duties, and fix their compensation.


 

     Sec. 560a. If the board of directors of a school of excellence

 

provides medical, optical, or dental benefits to employees and

 

their dependents, the board of directors shall provide those

 

benefits in accordance with the public employees health benefit

 

act, 2007 PA 106, MCL 124.71 to 124.85, and shall comply with that

 

act.

 

     Sec. 561. (1) The authorizing body for a school of excellence

 

is the fiscal agent for the school of excellence. A state school

 

aid payment for a school of excellence shall be paid to the

 

authorizing body that is the fiscal agent for that school of

 

excellence, which shall then forward the payment to the school of

 

excellence. An authorizing body has the responsibility to oversee a

 

school of excellence's compliance with the contract and all

 

applicable law. A contract issued under this part may be revoked by

 

the authorizing body that issued the contract if the authorizing

 

body determines that 1 or more of the following have occurred:

 

     (a) Failure of the school of excellence to abide by and meet

 

the educational goals set forth in the contract.

 

     (b) Failure of the school of excellence to comply with all

 

applicable law.

 

     (c) Failure of the school of excellence to meet generally

 

accepted public sector accounting principles.

 

     (d) The existence of 1 or more other grounds for revocation as

 

specified in the contract.

 

     (2) The decision of an authorizing body to revoke a contract

 

under this section is solely within the discretion of the

 

authorizing body, is final, and is not subject to review by a court


 

or any state agency. An authorizing body that revokes a contract

 

under this section is not liable for that action to the school of

 

excellence, school of excellence corporation, a pupil of the school

 

of excellence, the parent or guardian of a pupil of the school of

 

excellence, or any other person.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

 

unless Senate Bill No. ____ or House Bill No. 5617(request no.

 

05247'09) of the 95th Legislature is enacted into law.

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