February 5, 2015, Introduced by Reps. Hooker and Howrylak and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending section 1278 (MCL 380.1278), as amended by 2004 PA 596,
and by adding section 1278d.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1278. (1) In addition to the requirements for
accreditation under section 1280 specified in that section, if the
board of a school district wants all of the schools of the school
district to be accredited under section 1280, the board shall
provide to all pupils attending public school in the district a
core academic curriculum in compliance with subsection (3) in each
of the curricular areas specified in the state board recommended
model core academic curriculum content standards developed under
subsection (2). The state board model core academic curriculum
content standards shall encompass academic and cognitive
instruction only. For purposes of this section, the state board
model core academic curriculum content standards shall not include
attitudes, beliefs, or value systems that are not essential in the
legal, economic, and social structure of our society and to the
personal and social responsibility of citizens of our society. The
state board model core academic curriculum content standards shall
not be based upon the common core standards described in section
1278d.
(2) Recommended model core academic curriculum content
standards shall be developed and periodically updated by the state
board, shall be in the form of knowledge and skill content
standards that are recommended as state standards for adoption by
public schools in local curriculum formulation and adoption, and
shall be distributed to each school district in the state. The
recommended model core academic curriculum content standards shall
set forth desired learning objectives in math, science, reading,
history, geography, economics, American government, and writing for
all children at each stage of schooling and be based upon the
"Michigan K-12 program standards of quality" to ensure that high
academic standards, academic skills, and academic subject matters
are built into the instructional goals of all school districts for
all children. The state board also shall ensure that the Michigan
educational assessment program and the Michigan merit examination
are based on the state recommended model core curriculum content
standards, are testing only for proficiency in basic and advanced
academic skills and academic subject matter, and are not used to
measure pupils' values or attitudes.
(3) The board of each school district, considering academic
curricular objectives defined and recommended pursuant to
subsection (2), shall do both of the following:
(a) Establish a core academic curriculum for its pupils at the
elementary, middle, and secondary school levels. The core academic
curriculum shall define academic objectives to be achieved by all
pupils and shall be based upon the school district's educational
mission, long-range pupil goals, and pupil performance objectives.
The core academic curriculum may vary from the model core academic
curriculum content standards recommended by the state board
pursuant to subsection (2).
(b) After consulting with teachers and school building
administrators, determine the aligned instructional program for
delivering the core academic curriculum and identify the courses
and programs in which the core academic curriculum will be taught.
(4) The board may supplement the core academic curriculum by
providing instruction through additional classes and programs.
(5) For all pupils, the subjects or courses, and the delivery
of those including special assistance, that constitute the
curriculum the pupils engage in shall assure the pupils have a
realistic opportunity to learn all subjects and courses required by
the district's core academic curriculum. A subject or course
required by the core academic curriculum pursuant to subsection (3)
shall be provided to all pupils in the school district by a school
district, a consortium of school districts, or a consortium of 1 or
more school districts and 1 or more intermediate school districts.
(6) To the extent practicable, the state board may adopt or
develop academic objective-oriented high standards for knowledge
and life skills, and a recommended core academic curriculum, for
special education pupils for whom it may not be realistic or
desirable to expect achievement of initial mastery of the state
board recommended model core academic content standards objectives
or of a high school diploma.
(7) The state board shall make available to all nonpublic
schools in this state, as a resource for their consideration, the
model core academic curriculum content standards developed for
public schools pursuant to subsection (2) for the purpose of
assisting the governing body of a nonpublic school in developing
its core academic curriculum.
(8) Excluding special education pupils, pupils having a
learning disability, and pupils with extenuating circumstances as
determined by school officials, a pupil who does not score
satisfactorily on the 4th or 7th grade Michigan educational
assessment program reading test shall be provided special
assistance reasonably expected to enable the pupil to bring his or
her reading skills to grade level within 12 months.
(9) Any course that would have been considered a nonessential
elective course under Snyder v Charlotte School Dist, 421 Mich 517
(1984), on April 13, 1990 shall continue to be offered to resident
pupils of nonpublic schools on a shared time basis.
Sec. 1278d. (1) The state board and the department shall not
implement the common core standards promoted by the common core
state standards initiative coordinated by the national governors
association center for best practices and the council of chief
state school officers. The state board shall take the necessary
action to rescind the state board's adoption of those common core
standards, which occurred on June 15, 2010, and to discontinue any
assessments aligned to those common core standards.
(2) After the effective date of this section, the state board
or any other state official or agency shall not participate in the
common core state standards initiative described in subsection (1).
(3) The state board shall ensure that the state board model
core academic curriculum content standards under section 1278 and
the subject area content expectations that apply to the credit
requirements of the Michigan merit standard under sections 1278a
and 1278b are not based upon the common core standards described in
subsection (1).