Bill Text: MI SB0678 | 2017-2018 | 99th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Education; public school academies; notification to public school academy if they are currently being operated by an educational maintenance organization that is experiencing financial distress; require. Amends secs. 1219 & 1220 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1219 & 380.1220).

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-11-30 - Referred To Committee On Education [SB0678 Detail]

Download: Michigan-2017-SB0678-Introduced.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE BILL No. 678

 

 

November 30, 2017, Introduced by Senator BIEDA and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

 

     A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled

 

"The revised school code,"

 

by amending sections 1219 and 1220 (MCL 380.1219 and 380.1220),

 

section 1219 as added by 2015 PA 109 and section 1220 as added by

 

2015 PA 111.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 1219. (1) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (2),

 

before July 7 of each school fiscal year, each school district and

 

public school academy shall transmit to CEPI the budgetary

 

assumptions used when adopting its annual budget pursuant to the

 

uniform budgeting and accounting act, 1968 PA 2, MCL 141.421 to

 

141.440a. However, a school district or public school academy that


had a positive general fund balance of at least 5% of total general

 

fund revenues for each of 2 most recently completed school fiscal

 

years is not required to transmit the budgetary assumptions under

 

this subsection. After receipt by CEPI, CEPI shall compile and

 

transmit the budgetary assumptions to the department of treasury.

 

The submission of the budgetary assumptions under this subsection

 

shall be in the form prescribed by CEPI and shall include at least

 

all of the following information:

 

     (a) The projected foundation allowance for the school district

 

or public school academy used by its governing body when adopting

 

the budget for the school district or public school academy for the

 

current school fiscal year.

 

     (b) The projected membership of the school district or public

 

school academy used when adopting the budget of the school district

 

or public school academy for the current school fiscal year.

 

     (c) The estimated expenditures per pupil for the school

 

district or public school academy for the immediately preceding

 

school fiscal year, calculated by dividing total general fund

 

operating expenditures for the school district or public school

 

academy during that school fiscal year by the membership for the

 

school district or public school academy reported by the department

 

in the most recent state aid financial status report for the month

 

of May.

 

     (d) The projected expenditures per pupil for the school

 

district or public school academy for the current school fiscal

 

year, calculated by dividing the total general fund operating

 

expenditures authorized by the governing body of the school


district or the public school academy when adopting the budget for

 

the current school fiscal year by the projected membership of the

 

school district or public school academy used when adopting the

 

budget of the school district or public school academy for the

 

current school fiscal year.

 

     (2) If an authorizing body submits a budgetary assumption

 

report required under subsection (1) on behalf of each public

 

school academy authorized by that authorizing body that would

 

otherwise be required to submit budgetary assumptions under

 

subsection (1), then those public school academies are not required

 

to submit the budgetary assumption report required under subsection

 

(1).

 

     (3) If, based on the factors enumerated in this subsection,

 

the state treasurer determines that the potential for fiscal stress

 

exists within a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy; that an operating deficit may arise within a

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy during the current school fiscal year or the following 2

 

school fiscal years; or that a school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy may be unable to meet its

 

financial obligations while also satisfying the school district's,

 

intermediate school district's, or public school academy's

 

obligations or abilities to provide public educational services in

 

a manner that complies with this act, the state school aid act of

 

1979, and applicable rules, then the state treasurer may declare

 

that the potential for fiscal stress exists for the school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy.


This determination shall be based on consideration of the following

 

factors:

 

     (a) Financial data or other information submitted by the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy to a state department or agency.

 

     (b) Financial data or other information included within an

 

audited financial statement of the school district, intermediate

 

school district, or public school academy.

 

     (c) Financial data or other information provided to a state

 

department, agency, or authority in connection with a request to

 

issue bonds, notes, or other debt obligations, including, but not

 

limited to, information relating to a request for a loan under the

 

emergency municipal loan act, 1980 PA 243, MCL 141.931 to 141.942.

 

     (d) Financial data or other information included within a

 

recommended budget, budget, or general appropriations act of the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy.

 

     (e) Financial data or other information provided to a state

 

department, agency, or authority by an officer, employee,

 

contractor, or agent of the school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy.

 

     (f) For a school district, data relating to pupil enrollment,

 

including, but not limited to, residents of other school districts

 

enrolled in the school district and residents of the school

 

district enrolled in another school district or in a public school

 

not operated by the school district.

 

     (g) For a school district, financial data or other information


provided to the department or department of treasury by the

 

intermediate school district in which the school district is

 

located.

 

     (h) For a public school academy, financial data or other

 

information provided to the department or department of treasury by

 

the authorizing body of the public school academy.

 

     (4) If the state treasurer declares under subsection (3) that

 

the potential for fiscal stress exists for a school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy, then not

 

less than 14 days after the declaration the state treasurer shall

 

do all of the following:

 

     (a) Notify the governing body of the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy and the

 

authorizing body of the public school academy that the state

 

treasurer has declared that the potential for fiscal stress exists

 

for the school district, intermediate school district, or public

 

school academy.

 

     (b) For a school district or public school academy, notify the

 

governing body of the school district or public school academy that

 

it may establish a contract under subsection (5) with an

 

intermediate school district to perform an administrative review of

 

the financial status of the school district or public school

 

academy.

 

     (5) Subject to subsection (16), if the state treasurer

 

declares under subsection (3) that the potential for fiscal stress

 

exists for a school district or public school academy, the

 

governing body of the school district or public school academy may


choose to establish a contract with an intermediate school district

 

to perform an administrative review of the financial status of the

 

school district or public school academy. An intermediate school

 

district that is working with a school district or public school

 

academy to establish a contract under this subsection shall consult

 

with the department of treasury on the development of the contract.

 

A school district or public school academy must enter into this

 

contract within 60 days after receiving notification of the

 

declaration from the state treasurer under subsection (4). A

 

contract under this subsection between an intermediate school

 

district and a school district or public school academy shall

 

provide for all of the following:

 

     (a) Within 90 days after entering into the contract, the

 

intermediate school district shall complete an administrative

 

review and issue recommendations to the school district or public

 

school academy concerning those steps the school district or public

 

school academy should consider taking to avoid a deficit.

 

     (b) After completion of the administrative review, the

 

intermediate school district shall present the recommendations

 

under subdivision (a) at the next scheduled public meeting of the

 

governing body of the school district or public school academy.

 

     (c) The intermediate school district shall send a copy of the

 

recommendations to the department and the department of treasury.

 

     (d) Subject to subsection (6), the intermediate school

 

district's administrative review under subdivision (a) shall

 

include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

 

     (i) An examination of financial practices, including at least


an examination of the school district's or public school academy's

 

compliance with the uniform budgeting and accounting act, 1968 PA

 

2, MCL 141.421 to 141.440a, budget to actual expense report

 

monitoring, and budget amendment practices after budget adoption.

 

     (ii) An examination of staffing and a comparison of staffing

 

to other school districts and public school academies, as

 

applicable.

 

     (iii) An examination of wages and a comparison of wages to

 

other school districts and public school academies in the area, as

 

applicable.

 

     (iv) An examination of benefit costs as a percentage of wages

 

and a comparison of benefit costs as a percentage of wages to other

 

school districts and public school academies in the area, as

 

applicable.

 

     (v) A school building student capacity utilization review.

 

     (vi) An examination of non-instructional costs by function and

 

a comparison of those costs to other school districts and public

 

school academies, as applicable.

 

     (vii) A review of enrollment projection methods and history.

 

     (viii) An examination of deferred maintenance and capital

 

investment needs. Capital investment needs include technology

 

equipment and technology infrastructure needs.

 

     (ix) An examination of substitute costs, workers compensation

 

costs, unemployment compensation costs and forecasts, and a review

 

of other insurance programs.

 

     (x) An examination of pupil transportation costs and routing.

 

     (xi) An examination of the current and future costs of


existing bargaining agreements.

 

     (e) The school district or public school academy shall give

 

the intermediate school district or its contracted agents access to

 

any and all financial data or information relating to the financial

 

condition of the school district or public school academy as

 

requested by the intermediate school district.

 

     (f) The school district or public school academy shall allow

 

the intermediate school district or its contracted agents to

 

examine all financial records and books of account of the school

 

district or public school academy.

 

     (g) The school district or public school academy shall

 

promptly and fully provide the assistance and information necessary

 

and properly requested by the intermediate school district or its

 

contracted agent in the effectuation of the intermediate school

 

district's duties under this subsection, including, but not limited

 

to, complying with a request that the school district or public

 

school academy provide a facility condition assessment or a

 

physical asset inventory if either of these has not been completed

 

in the immediately preceding 24 months.

 

     (h) The school district or public school academy shall allow

 

the intermediate school district to work in a consortium with

 

another intermediate school district or multiple intermediate

 

school districts in the effectuation of the intermediate school

 

district's duties under this subsection.

 

     (i) The school district or public school academy shall allow

 

the intermediate school district to use a contractor or contractors

 

to assist in the review on a cost recovery basis as determined by


the intermediate school district.

 

     (j) Either the intermediate school district or the school

 

district or public school academy may rescind the contract, as

 

follows:

 

     (i) The intermediate school district may rescind the contract

 

if the school district or public school academy is not complying

 

with 1 or more of the recommendations issued to the school district

 

or public school academy under subdivision (a).

 

     (ii) The school district or public school academy may rescind

 

the contract for any reason.

 

     (6) The parties to a contract under subsection (5) may request

 

the department of treasury to waive 1 or more of the requirements

 

for items to be included in the intermediate school district's

 

administrative review under subsection (5)(d). If the department of

 

treasury grants a waiver under this subsection, then the

 

intermediate school district's administrative review under

 

subsection (5)(d) is not required to include the waived item or

 

items.

 

     (7) If a school district or public school academy establishes

 

a contract with an intermediate school district under subsection

 

(5), the intermediate school district shall submit quarterly

 

reports to the department of treasury on the status of the

 

implementation of the recommendations issued to the school district

 

or intermediate school district by the intermediate school district

 

under subsection (5)(a).

 

     (8) Subject to subsection (9), the state treasurer may require

 

a school district, intermediate school district, or public school


academy to submit periodic financial status reports under this

 

section if all of the following occur:

 

     (a) The state treasurer has declared under subsection (3) that

 

the potential for fiscal stress exists for the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy.

 

     (b) More than 60 days have passed since the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy was notified

 

of the declaration as required under subsection (4)(a).

 

     (c) For a school district or public school academy, that

 

school district or public school academy has not established a

 

contract with an intermediate school district in the time and

 

manner required under subsection (5), has rescinded a contract with

 

an intermediate school district under subsection (5)(j), or has had

 

its contract with an intermediate school district under subsection

 

(5) rescinded by the intermediate school district under subsection

 

(5)(j).

 

     (d) The school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy has not had a positive general fund balance

 

of at least 5% of total general fund revenues for each of the 2

 

most recently completed school fiscal years.

 

     (e) The school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy has had a declining general fund balance in 1

 

or both of the 2 most recently completed school fiscal years.

 

     (f) The school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is not required to submit a deficit

 

elimination plan or an enhanced deficit elimination plan under

 

section 1220.


     (9) If a school district or public school academy enters into

 

a contract with an intermediate school district as described under

 

subsection (5), the state treasurer shall not require the school

 

district or public school academy to submit periodic financial

 

status reports under this section until at least 730 days after the

 

governing body of the school district or public school academy was

 

notified of the declaration of the state treasurer under subsection

 

(4)(a). However, the state treasurer may require the school

 

district or public school academy to submit periodic financial

 

status reports under this section if the state treasurer determines

 

that the school district or public school academy has not

 

implemented any of the recommendations within 365 days after the

 

governing body of the school district or public school academy was

 

notified of the declaration of the state treasurer under subsection

 

(4)(a).

 

     (10) If a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is required to submit periodic financial

 

status reports under this section, the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy shall do all

 

of the following:

 

     (a) Submit a periodic financial status report in the form and

 

manner and on the periodic basis prescribed by the department of

 

treasury, after approval by the governing body of the school

 

district or public school academy.

 

     (b) Transmit a copy of each periodic financial status report

 

required under this section to the members of its governing body.

 

     (c) Provide the department of treasury with other financial


data or information relating to the financial conditions of the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy as requested by the department of treasury.

 

     (d) Allow the department of treasury to examine financial

 

records and books of account of the school district, intermediate

 

school district, or public school academy.

 

     (e) Promptly and fully provide the assistance and information

 

necessary and properly requested by the department of treasury in

 

the exercise of the department of treasury's duties under this

 

section.

 

     (11) If a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy fails to submit a periodic financial status

 

report required under this section, or if the state treasurer

 

determines that information included on a periodic financial status

 

report indicates that fiscal stress exists within the school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy,

 

or that a deficit has occurred or is projected to occur within the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy within the current school fiscal year or the next school

 

fiscal year and that the school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy lacks the capacity to address

 

the deficit without state assistance, then the state treasurer may

 

require the school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy to submit an enhanced deficit elimination

 

plan under section 1220.

 

     (12) If a school district is required to submit periodic

 

financial status reports under this section and a loan is issued to


the school district under the emergency municipal loan act, 1980 PA

 

243, MCL 141.931 to 141.942, the state treasurer shall require the

 

school district to submit periodic financial status reports under

 

this section for not more than 4 years after the date of issuance

 

of the loan.

 

     (13) A school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is no longer required to submit periodic

 

financial status reports under this section if the state treasurer

 

determines that the periodic financial status reports submitted by

 

the school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy indicate that potential fiscal stress does not exist within

 

the school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy; that a deficit is not projected to arise within the school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy

 

within the current school fiscal year or the next 2 school fiscal

 

years; and that the school district, intermediate school district,

 

or public school academy will be able to meet its financial

 

obligations while also satisfying the school district's,

 

intermediate school district's, or public school academy's

 

obligations or ability to provide public educational services in a

 

manner that complies with this act, the state school aid act, and

 

applicable rules.

 

     (14) If the state treasurer makes a determination under

 

subsection (13) that the conditions under that subsection apply to

 

a school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy, the state treasurer shall notify the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy within 14


days after making that determination.

 

     (15) CEPI shall make available to the public on its website

 

all of the periodic financial status reports submitted to the state

 

treasurer under this section. The state treasurer shall transmit to

 

CEPI any documents needed by CEPI to comply with this subsection.

 

     (16) If the state treasurer declares under subsection (3) that

 

the potential for fiscal stress exists for a public school academy,

 

then, in addition to the option under subsection (5) for the public

 

school academy to establish a contract with an intermediate school

 

district to perform an administrative review under subsection (5),

 

the governing body of the public school academy may establish a

 

contract with its authorizing body for the authorizing body to

 

perform an administrative review of the financial status of the

 

public school academy. If a public school academy and its

 

authorizing body establish a contract for the authorizing body to

 

perform an administrative review under this subsection, then all of

 

the following apply:

 

     (a) The authorizing body shall perform all of the same

 

functions with respect to the public school academy as an

 

intermediate school district performs for an administrative review

 

under subsection (5).

 

     (b) The contract and administrative review shall include all

 

of the same items as a contract and administrative review under

 

subsection (5).

 

     (c) The authorizing body has all of the same powers and duties

 

with respect to the contract and the administrative review as an

 

intermediate school district has for a contract and administrative


review under subsection (5), including, but not limited to, the

 

duty to consult with the department of treasury when working to

 

establish the contract.

 

     (d) The department of treasury shall perform the same role and

 

shall treat the contract and administrative review, and the public

 

school academy, in the same manner as if it were a contract and

 

administrative review under subsection (5).

 

     (e) All of the provisions under this section that apply to a

 

contract and administrative review under subsection (5) also apply

 

to the contract and administrative review under this subsection.

 

     (17) If an authorizing body receives a notification under

 

subsection (4)(a) for a public school academy that entered into a

 

management agreement with an educational management organization,

 

the authorizing body shall provide a copy of the notice to the

 

board of directors of each public school academy authorized by the

 

authorizing body that also entered into a management agreement with

 

the educational management organization.

 

     (18) (17) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Authorizing body" means an authorizing body for a public

 

school academy under this act.

 

     (b) "CEPI" means the center for educational performance and

 

information created in section 94a of the state school aid act of

 

1979, MCL 388.1694a.

 

     (c) "Deficit" means a condition prohibited under section 15(2)

 

of the uniform budgeting and accounting act, 1968 PA 2, MCL

 

141.435, or under section 102(1) of the state school aid act of

 

1979, MCL 388.1702. Deficit also includes 1 or both of the


following circumstances for a school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy:

 

     (i) The total general fund balance of the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy is negative

 

or is projected to be negative at the end of the current school

 

fiscal year.

 

     (ii) One or more of the funds of the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy other than

 

the general fund have a negative balance or projected negative

 

balance that is greater than the total general fund balance.

 

     (d) "Educational management organization" means that term as

 

defined in section 503c.

 

     (e) (d) "Financial emergency" means that 1 or more of the

 

conditions described in section 5(3)(a) to (m) of the local

 

financial stability and choice act, 2012 PA 436, MCL 141.1545,

 

exist or are likely to occur within a school district, intermediate

 

school district, or public school academy in the current or next

 

school fiscal year and threaten the ability of the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy to provide

 

necessary governmental services essential to public health, safety,

 

and welfare.

 

     (f) (e) "Fiscal stress" means 1 or both of the following:

 

     (i) That a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is unable to meet its short-term or long-term

 

financial obligations as those obligations arise.

 

     (ii) That 1 or more of the conditions described in section

 

4(1)(a) to (i), (k) to (q), or (s) of the local financial stability


and choice act, 2012 PA 436, MCL 141.1544, exist or are likely to

 

occur within a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy.

 

     (g) (f) "Governing body" means, for a school district, the

 

school board of the school district and, for a public school

 

academy, the board of directors of the public school academy.

 

     (h) "Management agreement" means that term as defined in

 

section 503c.

 

     (i) (g) "Membership" means that term as defined in section 6

 

of the state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1606.

 

     (j) (h) "Pupil" means that term as defined in section 6 of the

 

state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1606.

 

     Sec. 1220. (1) A school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy shall not adopt or operate under

 

a deficit budget, and a school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy shall not incur an operating

 

deficit in a fund during a school fiscal year. If a school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy

 

has an existing deficit fund balance, incurs a deficit fund balance

 

in the most recently completed school fiscal year, or adopts a

 

current year budget that projects a deficit fund balance, all of

 

the following apply:

 

     (a) The school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy shall notify the superintendent of public

 

instruction and the state treasurer immediately upon the occurrence

 

of the circumstance. A school district shall provide a copy of the

 

notice under this subdivision to the intermediate superintendent of


the intermediate school district in which the school district is

 

located. A public school academy shall provide a copy of the notice

 

under this subdivision to the authorizing body of the public school

 

academy.

 

     (b) Within 30 days after making notification under subdivision

 

(a), the school district, intermediate school district, or public

 

school academy shall submit to the superintendent of public

 

instruction in the form and manner prescribed by the department an

 

amended budget for the current school fiscal year and a deficit

 

elimination plan approved by the board of the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy, with a copy

 

to the state treasurer. A school district shall transmit a copy of

 

the amended budget and the deficit elimination plan to the

 

intermediate superintendent of the intermediate school district in

 

which the school district is located. A public school academy shall

 

transmit a copy of the amended budget and the deficit elimination

 

plan to its authorizing body.

 

     (c) The department may withhold and release some or all of the

 

money payable to the school district, intermediate school district,

 

or public school academy as provided under section 102(1) of the

 

state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1702.

 

     (d) The superintendent of public instruction may require a

 

deficit elimination plan to include an academic plan for the school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy.

 

     (e) After the superintendent of public instruction approves a

 

school district's, intermediate school district's, or public school

 

academy's deficit elimination plan, the school district,


intermediate school district, or public school academy shall post

 

the deficit elimination plan on the school district's, intermediate

 

school district's, or public school academy's website.

 

     (f) If an authorizing body receives a notification under

 

subdivision (a) for a public school academy that entered into a

 

management agreement with an educational management organization,

 

the authorizing body shall provide a copy of the notice to the

 

board of directors of each public school academy authorized by the

 

authorizing body that also entered into a management agreement with

 

the educational management organization.

 

     (2) The following reporting requirements apply for the

 

purposes of this section and section 1219:

 

     (a) Not later than March 1 of each year, the department shall

 

prepare a report of deficits incurred or projected by school

 

districts, intermediate school districts, and public school

 

academies in the immediately preceding fiscal year and the progress

 

made in reducing those deficits and submit the report to the

 

standing committees of the legislature responsible for K-12

 

education legislation, the appropriations subcommittees of the

 

legislature responsible for K-12 school aid appropriations, the

 

house and senate fiscal agencies, the state treasurer, and the

 

state budget director. The department also shall submit quarterly

 

interim reports concerning the progress made by school districts,

 

intermediate school districts, and public school academies in

 

reducing those deficits to the standing committees of the

 

legislature responsible for K-12 education legislation, the

 

appropriations subcommittees of the legislature responsible for K-


12 school aid appropriations, the house and senate fiscal agencies,

 

the state treasurer, and the state budget director. On a quarterly

 

basis, the superintendent of public instruction shall publicly

 

present those reports to the appropriations subcommittees of the

 

legislature responsible for K-12 school aid appropriations.

 

     (b) Not later than March 1 of each year, the state treasurer

 

shall prepare a report of school districts, intermediate school

 

districts, and public school academies that were required under

 

section 1219 to submit periodic financial status reports in the

 

immediately preceding state fiscal year or required under this

 

section to submit an enhanced deficit elimination plan in the

 

immediately preceding state fiscal year, and the progress made in

 

adhering to that plan, and submit the report to the standing

 

committees of the legislature responsible for K-12 education

 

legislation, the appropriations subcommittees of the legislature

 

responsible for K-12 state school aid appropriations, the house and

 

senate fiscal agencies, the department, and the state budget

 

director. The state treasurer also shall submit quarterly interim

 

reports concerning school districts, intermediate school districts,

 

and public school academies that are subject to periodic financial

 

status reports or are under an enhanced deficit elimination plan to

 

the standing committees of the legislature responsible for K-12

 

education legislation, the appropriations subcommittees of the

 

legislature responsible for K-12 state school aid appropriations,

 

the house and senate fiscal agencies, the department, and the state

 

budget director. On a quarterly basis, the state treasurer shall

 

publicly present those quarterly interim reports to the


appropriations subcommittees of the legislature responsible for K-

 

12 state school aid appropriations.

 

     (3) A school district, intermediate school district, or public

 

school academy required to submit a deficit elimination plan under

 

this section shall submit to the superintendent of public

 

instruction and the state treasurer a monthly monitoring report on

 

revenue and expenditures in a form and manner prescribed by the

 

department and shall post these reports on its website. A school

 

district shall transmit a copy of each report under this subsection

 

to the intermediate superintendent of the intermediate school

 

district in which the school district is located. A public school

 

academy shall transmit a copy of each report under this section to

 

the authorizing body of the public school academy. A school

 

district may contract with its intermediate school district or

 

another entity to provide the monthly monitoring report.

 

     (4) If a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is required to submit a deficit elimination

 

plan under this section, and the deficit elimination plan is

 

approved by the department, the superintendent of public

 

instruction may continue allotment and payment of funds as provided

 

under section 102 of the state school aid act of 1979, MCL

 

388.1702. When approving a deficit elimination plan, the

 

superintendent of public instruction shall establish the period of

 

time within which a school district, intermediate school district,

 

or public school academy must eliminate its deficit and may set

 

special conditions that the school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy must meet while the deficit


elimination plan is in effect. After the department approves a

 

school district's, intermediate school district's, or public school

 

academy's deficit elimination plan under this subsection, the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy shall post the deficit elimination plan on the school

 

district's, intermediate school district's, or public school

 

academy's website. The requirements of this section relating to a

 

deficit elimination plan do not apply to a school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy if the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy is required to submit an enhanced deficit elimination plan

 

under subsection (5).

 

     (5) If, based upon information included in a periodic

 

financial status report required under section 1219, a deficit

 

elimination plan required under this section, or a request by the

 

superintendent of public instruction, the state treasurer

 

determines that a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is subject to rapidly deteriorating financial

 

circumstances, persistently declining enrollment, or other

 

indicators of financial stress likely to result in recurring

 

operating deficits or recurring financial stress within the school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy,

 

the state treasurer may require the school district, intermediate

 

school district, or public school academy to submit an enhanced

 

deficit elimination plan in the form and manner determined by the

 

department of treasury. If the deficit for a school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy that is


subject to a deficit elimination plan has not been completely

 

eliminated within 5 years after it submitted its initial deficit

 

elimination plan, the state treasurer shall require the school

 

district, intermediate school district, or public school academy to

 

submit an enhanced deficit elimination plan under this subsection.

 

An enhanced deficit elimination plan shall provide for the

 

resolution of the deteriorating financial circumstances,

 

persistently declining enrollment, or other indicators of recurring

 

operating deficits or recurring financial stress and is subject to

 

approval by the state treasurer. As a condition of approving the

 

enhanced deficit elimination plan, the state treasurer may require

 

a school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy required to submit an enhanced deficit elimination plan

 

under this section to enter into a financial recovery agreement

 

with the state treasurer. A financial recovery agreement may

 

provide for, but is not limited to, all of the following:

 

     (a) Assistance and guidance from the department of treasury

 

and other state departments and agencies.

 

     (b) A financial and operating plan for the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy.

 

     (c) The appointment of a local auditor or inspector, or both.

 

     (d) Remedial measures or other action under this act necessary

 

to address the financial circumstances of the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy.

 

     (e) The required retention by the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy of a

 

consultant or 1 or more other experts for the purpose of assisting


the school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy to achieve the goals and objectives of the financial

 

recovery agreement.

 

     (6) Before a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy submits an enhanced deficit elimination plan

 

to the state treasurer under subsection (5), the board of the

 

school district or intermediate school district or board of

 

directors of the public school academy shall approve the plan. If a

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy is required to submit an enhanced deficit elimination plan

 

under subsection (5), some or all of the money payable to the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy under the state school aid act of 1979 may be withheld by

 

the state treasurer and released as provided under section 102(3)

 

of the state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1702. When approving

 

an enhanced deficit elimination plan, the state treasurer may

 

establish the period of time within which a school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy must

 

eliminate its deficit and may set special conditions that the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy must meet while the enhanced deficit elimination plan is in

 

effect.

 

     (7) To assure greater coordination and effective partnerships

 

in the development and implementation of an enhanced deficit

 

elimination plan under subsection (5), when administering

 

subsections (5), (6), and (9), the department of treasury shall

 

consult with all of the following:


     (a) The department.

 

     (b) The school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy required to submit an enhanced deficit

 

elimination plan under subsection (5).

 

     (c) For a school district required to submit an enhanced

 

deficit elimination plan under subsection (5), the intermediate

 

superintendent of the intermediate school district in which the

 

school district is located.

 

     (d) For a public school academy required to submit an enhanced

 

deficit elimination plan under subsection (5), the authorizing body

 

of the public school academy.

 

     (8) After the state treasurer approves an enhanced deficit

 

elimination plan for a school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy, the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy shall post

 

the enhanced deficit elimination plan on the school district's,

 

intermediate school district's, or public school academy's website.

 

     (9) If a school district, intermediate school district, or

 

public school academy is required to submit an enhanced deficit

 

elimination plan under subsection (5), the school district,

 

intermediate school district, or public school academy shall submit

 

to the superintendent of public instruction and the state treasurer

 

an enhanced monthly monitoring report on revenue, expenditures,

 

cash flow, debt, other liabilities, assets, budget amendments,

 

pupil membership, and other data relating to the finances of the

 

school district, intermediate school district, or public school

 

academy in a form and manner prescribed by the department of


treasury and shall post these reports on its website.

 

     (10) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Authorizing body" means an authorizing body for a public

 

school academy under this act.

 

     (b) "Deficit elimination plan" means a plan required under

 

this section for the elimination of a deficit that sets forth

 

actions to be taken to eliminate the deficit within the time period

 

prescribed by the department.

 

     (c) "Deficit fund balance" means that term as defined in the

 

"Michigan Public School Accounting Manual" published by the

 

department.

 

     (d) "Educational management organization" means that term as

 

defined in section 503c.

 

     (e) (d) "Enhanced deficit elimination plan" means measures

 

required by the state treasurer under this section to address the

 

financial conditions within a school district, intermediate school

 

district, or public school academy and resolve any deficit within

 

the time period prescribed by the state treasurer.

 

     (f) "Management agreement" means that term as defined in

 

section 503c.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.

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