1085: CONFERENCE REPORT (7-13-06) - FY 2006-07 EDUCATION BUDGET

FY 2006-07 EDUCATION BUDGET S.B. 1085 (CR-1*): CONFERENCE REPORT

Amount Over/(Under) GF/GP Target: $ 0

FY 2005-06 Year-to-Date Gross Appropriation	$120,761,600
Changes from FY 2005-06 Year-to-Date:
Items Included by the Senate and House
1. Program Transfers Out to K-12. The House and Senate concurred with the Governor to transfer to the K-12 budget (and fund with School Aid Fund revenues) the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) contracts and the School Breakfast Program.	(34,409,500)
2. Unspecified Federal and Private Grants Line. The House and Senate concurred with the Governor to include a new line item in anticipation of receiving grants after Oct. 1.	3,000,000
3. Adjustments in Federal Dollars and GF Administrative Reductions. The House and Senate concurred in the Governor's recommended increases in Federal administrative dollars and in $120,000 in GF administrative reductions.	1,842,400
4. Additional Staff at MSDB, Systems Upgrade, and New State Aid Analyst. The House and Senate concurred in Federal funds to support 8.0 new FTEs at the MSDB, as well as $107,000 GF for upgrading the school aid payment system, $64,000 GF for a new state aid analyst, and $100,000 in restricted fees for upgrading the teacher license database.	831,000
5. Economic Adjustments. The House and Senate concurred in economic adjustments of $1,205,700 Gross, $119,500 GF, and DIT economics of $81,800 Gross, $27,800 GF.	1,287,500
6. Other Changes. The House and Senate concurred in human resource user charges and the transfer in of the MEAP test center from Treasury.	513,100
7. Middle School Math Program. The House and Senate concurred with the Governor to eliminate this funding, half of which went to MI Virtual High School, the other to WSU.	(100,000)
8. Elimination of one-time Federal Hurricane Relief Dollars. The House and Senate concurred in not continuing one-time Federal supplemental funding for hurricane relief.	(3,286,000)
Conference Agreement on Items of Difference
9. Web-Based Practice Assessments. The Conference report did not concur with the House to include funding for this item; instead, it is funded in the School Aid budget.	0
10. Middle School Math Administration. The Conference report did not concur with the House to include funding for this item.	0
11. Subject Area Content Expectations. The Conference report concurred with the House to fund this item, but reduced the House's funding from $250,000 to $100,000.	100,000
12. Teacher Certification Programs. The Conference report increased by $25,000 funding for CMU's Alternative Route to Certification and added $100,000 for WSU's Pathways to Teaching Program.	125,000
13. Study of Best Practices. The Conference report funded this study at $175,000, a one-half reduction from the current-year funding.	(175,000)
14. Other. The Conference report concurred with the Senate to include $25,000 for Michigan History Day, and concurred with the House to fund National Board Certification grants at $100,000 and Education Commission of the States dues at $50,000.	175,000
Total Changes	($30,096,500)
FY 2006-07 Conference Report Gross Appropriation	$90,665,100

FY 2006-07 EDUCATION BUDGET BOILERPLATE HIGHLIGHTS

Changes from FY 2005-06 Year to Date:

Items Included by the Senate and House

1. Whistleblower Protection. The House and Senate agreed to retain language prohibiting the Department from taking disciplinary action against an employee for communicating with the Legislature (Sec. 215)

2. Automated External Defibrillators. The House and Senate agreed to new language encouraging the Department to provide information on AED use and benefits, and to secure a bulk-purchase contract for AEDs. (Sec. 218)

3. Reporting of Federal and Private Grants Received. The House and Senate agreed to new language requiring the Department to report within 10 days of receiving a grant appropriated in the new Federal and Private grants line, with the funding sources, purpose, and amount of the grant included in the notification. (Sec. 901)

Conference Agreement on Items of Difference

4. K-16 Potential Reductions. The Conference report did not include new language requiring the Department to list potential GF/GP cuts if the K-16 ballot initiative is adopted.

5. Data in Timely Manner. The Conference report concurred with the House to include a new section requiring the Department to provide data requested by a legislator or his or her staff, or the fiscal agencies, in a timely manner. (Sec. 220)

6. School Building Security Mapping. The Conference report did not concur with the House to include a section requiring the Department to contract for a statewide standardized crisis management system that provides information when responding to emergencies at public schools. (This was included in the K-12 budget.)

7. National Board Certification Grants. The Conference report included a new section earmarking funds for the Department to pay 1/2 of the application fee for teachers who are considered qualified to apply for National Board Certification. (Sec. 505)

8. Subject Area Content Expectations. The Conference report concurred with the House to include a new section earmarking funds for the development, approval, and implementation of subject area content expectations and guidelines that apply to the Michigan Merit curriculum. The content standards for science shall include the use of the scientific method to critically evaluate theories and the use of relevant scientific data to assess the validity of those theories. Also, social studies guidelines shall not prohibit the use of "American" when referring to a citizen of the United States. (Sec. 603)

9. Web-Based Practice Assessments. The Conference report did not concur with the House to include a section earmarking funds for a web-based practice assessment and classroom remediation program. The K-12 budget does include such a section.

10. International Baccalaureate Grants. The Conference report did not concur with the House to include a section earmarking dollars for startup funds for the IB program. The K-12 budget does include such a section.

Date Completed: 7-13-06 Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers-Coty Bill Analysis @ http://www.senate.michigan.gov/sfa This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations. hidoe_cr.doc