A bill that would lift a prohibition on alternative certification routes to teach special education passed out of the Senate Education Committee on Tuesday.

Senate Bill 657  would allow individuals who are pursuing permanent certification to seek an Interim Teaching Certificate (ITC) to teach in special education classrooms in public schools.

The bill – meant to address a statewide shortage of special education teachers – was sent to the Senate floor with no testimony. MEA opposes the bill.

The House Education Committee on Tuesday heard testimony on Senate Bill 171, which would make permanent a rule allowing students to substitute one credit of Career-Technical Education (CTE) or visual or performing arts classes for one credit of foreign language.

Michigan high school students must complete two years of foreign language to graduate. State law already permits a CTE or arts class to substitute for one foreign language credit until 2024. SB 171 removes the sunset provision. The committee took no vote on the bill, which MEA opposes.

The House committee also heard testimony but took no action on House Bill 4483, which would require the Michigan Department of Education to develop a model curriculum of instruction on cursive as a type of penmanship.

The bill does not require Michigan schools to teach cursive but specifies that districts could incorporate the model program in their curriculum.