HOURS OF PUPIL INSTRUCTION S.B. 95 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 95 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Senator Valde Garcia
Committee: Education
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require school districts and public school academies (PSAs) to provide at least the minimum number of hours of pupil instruction each school year required under the School Aid Act; and remove requirements for incremental yearly increases in the number of school days and hours of instruction.
The Code requires the board of a school district or PSA to increase the number of days and hours of instruction each school year. In 2005-2006, the Code requires 189 days of instruction and 1,134 hours of instruction; in 2006-2007, schools must offer 190 days and 1,140 hours of instruction, except as provided below.
The required minimum number of days or hours of instruction may not be increased for a particular year if the Department of Education determines that the percentage growth in the basic foundation allowance under the School Aid Act for the fiscal year in which the school year begins is less than the percentage increase in the average United States consumer price index (CPI) during the preceding calendar year as compared to the second preceding calendar year. If there is no increase in the number of days or hours of instruction for a given year, then the increase for the next year in which the percentage growth in school aid funding exceeds the percentage growth in the CPI must be one day and the corresponding number of hours, until the minimum number of days required is 190 and the minimum number of hours required is 1,140.
The Code allows the board of a school district or board of directors of a PSA to choose, by resolution, to provide fewer days of instruction for a given year than the statute indicates, as long as the board or board of directors provides at least the required number of hours of instruction and not fewer than 180 days of instruction.
The bill would delete these provisions, and instead would require the board or board of directors to ensure that the school district or PSA provided at least the minimum number of hours of pupil instruction each school year required under the School Aid Act.
MCL 380.1284 Legislative Analyst: Curtis Walker
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 5-31-06 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco
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. sb95/0506