PUBLIC SCHOOL EFFICIENCY

House Bill 5342

Sponsor:  Rep. Phil Pavlov

Committee:  Education

Complete to 3-13-06

A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 5342 AS INTRODUCED 10-20-05

House Bill 5342 would amend the Revised School Code to require the Department of Education to take steps to assist public schools to operate more efficiently.

The bill specifies that the department shall take reasonable steps to assist school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies (customarily called charter schools) to operate in a more efficient and cost-effective manner.  These steps would have to include assisting them in the consolidation of services and facilitating other arrangements that reduced instruction, administrative, or student transportation costs.

If the department determined that any state or federal statute, rule, or regulation prevented efficiency or cost-savings, then department officials would be required to provide information to the Legislature about the situation; and if the rule could be waived, to inform the school district of the availability of a waiver.

MCL 380.1281a

FISCAL IMPACT:

The Department would have an indeterminate increase in costs associated with assisting schools and ISDs to operate more efficiently.

School districts and ISDs would have an indeterminate savings from any potential changes associated with them operating more efficiently.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                  Fiscal Analyst:   Mary Ann Cleary

                                                                                                                           Bethany Wicksall

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.