S.B. 1111 (S-2): FIRST ANALYSIS - JOB-SHADOWING
Senate Bill 1111 (Substitute S-2 as passed by the Senate)
Sponsor: Senator Joel D. Gougeon
Committee: Human Resources, Labor and Veterans Affairs
RATIONALE
Job-shadowing is a work experience option that allows a pupil to experience daily duties of a job by visiting the workplace and "shadowing" a worker in a certain career field. Job-shadowing is a temporary, unpaid exposure to the workplace and provides an opportunity for pupils to experience work environment, observe occupational skills in practice, and evaluate potential career options. The pupils investigate the required skills, professional requirements, work responsibilities, career history, and the lifestyle that accompanies the choice of a career while the workers share their professional insights and experiences with the pupils. Since job-shadowing can provide an educational role in a pupil's career development, some people believe that the time spent engaged in job-shadowing, up to one day per school year, should be considered pupil instruction time as determined by the Department of Education.
CONTENT
The bill would amend the State School Aid Act to provide that the time a pupil spent engaged in job-shadowing, or in a similar program that provided an opportunity to observe daily activities in a particular occupation, would have to be considered to be pupil instruction time for the purpose of determining whether the pupil was receiving the required minimum number of days and hours of pupil instruction, up to a maximum of one day per school year. The Department of Education would have to determine the types of activities that qualified to be considered pupil instruction, the amount of time that could be considered pupil instruction time, and the procedures to be used to count and verify this time as pupil instruction time.
In addition, the Department would have to consider a pupil engaged in job shadowing to be in attendance in school on that day when determining the percentage of a district's membership in attendance on a particular day.
Under the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1284), if the board of a school district or of a public school academy does not want the school district's or the public school academy's State school aid payments to be withheld, it must provide the minimum number of days and hours of pupil instruction in a school year as follows:
-- 182 days and 1047 hours in the 1998-1999 school year.
-- 183 days and 1098 hours in the 1999-2000 school year.
-- 184 days and 1104 hours in the 2000-2001 school year.
-- 185 days and 1110 hours in the 2001-2002 school year.
-- 186 days and 1116 hours in the 2002-2003 school year.
-- 187 days and 1122 hours in the 2003-2004 school year.
-- 188 days and 1128 hours in the 2004-2005 school year.
-- 189 days and 1134 hours in the 2005-2006 school year.
-- 190 days and 1140 hours in the 2006-2007 school year and each succeeding school year.
MCL 388.1701
ARGUMENTS
(Please note: The arguments contained in this analysis originate from sources outside the Senate Fiscal Agency. The Senate Fiscal Agency neither supports nor opposes legislation.)
Supporting Argument
Even though it is a current practice in the Department of Education, the bill would incorporate in statute a requirement that time engaged in job-shadowing be credited as pupil instruction time and not be considered as an absence from school. Job-shadowing increases career awareness, builds community connections, and provides a rigorous and expansive work-based learning opportunity. Pupils who undergo a job-shadowing experience return to the classroom environment with a more complete understanding of how school work can help to further career goals and how they can plan now to succeed later.
Response: Although the bill would recognize job-shadowing as an important and meaningful learning program, it would acknowledge pupil instruction time and school attendance for only a maximum of one day per school year. There is concern that some job-shadowing programs that might require several days or several visits could become limited to one day.
- Legislative Analyst: N. Nagata
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
- Fiscal Analyst: E. Pratt
A9798\S1111A
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.