HB 4521 modifies Michigan's tuition grant program for resident students at eligible nonprofit colleges. It sets limits: 10 semesters for undergraduate study (12 for 2020-2021 enrollees), 6 for graduate, and 8 for dental programs. The bill excludes students receiving Michigan Achievement Scholarships and those in theology programs, while requiring financial need assessment using criteria from another state aid program. Grants cover tuition/fees up to the college's annual cost or the student's financial need, whichever is lower, and prioritize full-time students.
HB 4149 requires Michigan public school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies to post a link to the MI School Data parent dashboard on their public websites by July 1, 2026. Starting July 1, 2027, these schools must annually send parents or guardians a notification including specific school performance data from the dashboard, such as state assessment results by subject. The state’s Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI) must expand the MI School Data website to include all parent dashboard data and add a school comparison feature. This bill directly affects all public schools in Michigan and their enrolled students’ families by increasing transparency around school performance metrics.
House Bill 4155 requires the Department to publish a list of recommended curriculum companies and assessment companies for use by K-12 public schools. By April 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the Department must make these lists available to school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies. Recommended curriculum companies must offer programs aligning with state academic standards, provide evidence of effectiveness, and include provisions for accessibility and professional development. Similarly, recommended assessment companies must provide various assessments meeting state and federal requirements. It is important to note that schools are not mandated to use any of the companies or curricula on these recommended lists.
SB 377 amends Michigan's high school graduation requirements under the Revised School Code. It requires students to complete specific credit bundles, including 4 math credits (with new flexibility to fulfill some through career-technical education programs like computer science or engineering), 3 social science credits (covering U.S. history, world history, economics, and civics), and visual arts/performing arts credits. The bill directly affects all Michigan public high school students seeking diplomas by changing their course requirements. Key mechanisms include allowing career-technical education programs to count toward math credits and specifying exact social science course requirements.
SB 471 creates a dedicated $13 million behavioral threat assessment and management program fund within Michigan's Department of Treasury for the 2025 fiscal year. The fund, administered by the Treasury Department, will finance developing, implementing, and maintaining school safety programs to assess student behavioral threats. It requires all funds to remain in the program (not lapse to the general fund) and be used exclusively for these school safety purposes. The bill directly affects Michigan public schools by providing targeted funding for this specific safety initiative, with the program expected to be fully operational by September 2026.
HB 4868 creates supplemental funding for Michigan school districts to support English language learners (ELLs) starting in the 2026 fiscal year. To qualify, districts must administer the WIDA ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS proficiency test to ELLs. Funding is distributed based on test scores: 75% of the target foundation allowance for scores 1.0-1.9, 50% for 2.0-2.9, and 35% for 3.0-3.9. This directly affects school districts serving ELLs who meet the assessment requirements under Michigan’s School Code.
SB 470 requires Michigan's Department of Education to create and implement a statewide Behavioral Threat Assessment and Management Program within 180 days. The program mandates schools to identify, assess, and manage potential threats through standardized risk-level models, secure data storage, and a centralized digital portal that integrates school, mental health, and law enforcement data. It directly affects all Michigan public school districts, intermediate districts, public school academies, and nonpublic schools by requiring them to use this system for student safety planning. Key provisions include secure access controls, annual training for staff, quarterly audits, and ensuring all data remains protected as education records under federal and state laws.
HB 4157 creates a pilot program for a state-administered assessment system in Michigan public schools, replacing the current M-STEP testing. It requires item analysis for all tests (showing which questions students answered correctly and common mistakes) and mandates that districts use only student enrollment data from the time of testing when calculating school performance scores. The bill allocates $500,000 for an online tool to provide secure, immediate access to student-level assessment data for educators and parents. This bill directly affects public school districts receiving state aid and their students in grades 11-12, as it modifies assessment requirements under the State School Aid Act.
SB 614 would replace Michigan's current high school graduation requirement for 2-3 credits in a language other than English (Section 1278a(2)) with a "life skills" requirement. The bill allows students to fulfill this credit through foreign language, fine arts, or career/technical education programs approved by the state. This change directly affects all Michigan high school students seeking diplomas, as it modifies a core graduation standard under the Revised School Code. The bill amends Sections 1278a, 1278b, and 1531f of the 1976 School Code (MCL 380.1278a et seq.).
SB 350 would allow Michigan public school students to opt out of the workforce readiness assessment portion of the Michigan Merit Examination. Currently required for high school graduation, this section tests job skills and career readiness; the bill would give students the choice to skip it without academic penalty. The change directly affects students in Michigan public schools who take the exam, which is mandatory for graduation. The bill amends state law (MCL 388.1704b) to create this opt-out option, focusing on student choice in a specific assessment component.
