Get the latest legislative information and how it will affect you.
Posted on 09/08/11 at 10:49am
With the Legislature back in session, they are wasting no time pushing their so-called “education reform” agenda.
Today, Senate Republicans introduced a package of seven bills focusing on the expansion of charter schools, school choice, dual enrollment, and cyber schools; privatization of instructional staff; and siphoning of school aid funds to nonpublic school students.
Posted on 09/01/11 at 11:38am
The Legislature is back in session Wed., Sept. 7 and expect them to quickly take up more of Gov. Snyder’s “education reform” plan. Sen. Phil Pavlov (R-St. Clair), chair of the Senate Education Committee, is pushing a package of bills that would require all public schools districts to participate in the schools of choice program and would allow Michigan public schools to hire teachers from private firms.
Pavlov said, “We have to expand choice to empower parents to make sure they get the very best education for their kids.”
Posted on 08/12/11 at 3:17pm
The State Employee Retirement Association, the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association and AARP have joined together on a brief before the Supreme Court arguing that the income tax on pensions that Snyder pushed is unconstitutional. In their amicus brief, the groups cite a constitutional guarantee exempting state worker pensions from taxes.
The Supreme Court has scheduled arguments on Sept. 7.
Posted on 07/19/11 at 5:48pm
Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law a four-bill package that limits collective bargaining and changes how teachers are evaluated and dismissed in Michigan. Read the full press release sent from the State of Michigan Executive Office on July 19, 2011.
Under the new laws, formerly known as House Bills 4625-4628, teachers will have to wait five years instead of four to earn tenure. Educators will no longer be allowed to collectively bargain teacher placement and teachers at all levels can now be fired for almost any reason. Read more.
Related: Next step is recall of out-of-touch legislators
Posted on 07/19/11 at 5:26pm
Press release from the State of Michigan Executive Office - July 19, 2011
Performance to replace use of seniority in staffing decisions
Posted on 07/14/11 at 1:47pm
“Businesses in Michigan…How Do They Want to See Us Educate Our Children” was the agenda description for Wednesday’s meeting of the House Education Reform Workgroup. The committee heard presentations by a number of business owners, human resource personnel and the Grand Rapids Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Posted on 07/14/11 at 1:43pm
Senate, House set to work on differences in SB 7
In a surprising move, the Senate took up the House version of Senate Bill 7 on Wednesday (their only session day this week), unanimously rejecting the House’s changes to the bill that would cap employer contributions to health insurance.
Posted on 07/06/11 at 2:36pm
School funding was on today’s agenda of a state House education reform work group, a special, bipartisan panel that plans to meet weekly through the summer to consider substantial changes for public education.
Posted on 07/05/11 at 12:28pm
Michigan universities will be able to consider race and gender, along with numerous other factors, in the admission process, following a ruling last week from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Posted on 07/01/11 at 12:41pm
As if we need another reminder that elections have consequences, the Michigan Supreme Court on Thursday reversed its earlier decision on payroll deduction of PAC contributions by public employees, deciding that doing so breaks state campaign finance law.
