TEACHER CERTIFICATION; INSTITUTIONS H.B. 4591 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS


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House Bill 4591 (Substitute S-2 as reported)
Sponsor: Representative Hoon-Young Hopgood
House Committee: Education
Senate Committee: Appropriation

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:

-- Increase fees for teaching certificates and permits, generally by $35 and $20, respectively.
-- Require the Department of Education to create a teacher certification database.
-- Require the Department to fund the system from the proposed fee increases.
-- Require teacher preparation institutions and subject area specialty programs to be approved by the State according to existing administrative rules.
-- Provide that teacher preparation programs and specialty programs would be subject to periodic review; establish fees for the periodic review; and require the fee revenue to be deposited in the Teacher-Administrator Preparation and Certification Fund.


Specifically, the bill would require the Department to establish and implement a teacher certification database system that provided for at least all of the following:

-- The ability of teachers to renew a professional teaching certificate on-line.
-- On-line credit card payment capability.
-- A central registry that documented each teacher's professional development activities and completion of State Board of Education continuing education units.
-- Improved compatibility with the registry of educational personnel data reporting system.
-- Improved efficiency of the teacher preparation institution web-based teacher certification recommendation process.
-- Improved capacity to generate reports about the number of certificates and endorsements issued.
-- Improved quality control through customization of the system.


Under the bill, a teacher preparation institution and its subject area specialty programs would have to be approved by the State, and would be subject to periodic review for conformance with State Board standards and procedures. For approval or periodic review of a teacher preparation program, a State-approved teacher preparation institution would have to pay $2,000 (if total student enrollment were less than 2,000) or $3,500 (enrollment greater than 2,000 students). A State-approved teacher preparation institution would have to pay a $300 fee for approval or periodic review of a subject area specialty program.


The Code requires applicants for teaching certificates or permits, or various types of authorizations or endorsements, to pay specified fees as a condition of being evaluated for conformance with applicable requirements. The bill would increase fees as shown in Table 1, as well as add a new fee for a school counselor license.




Table 1

  Current Fee Proposed Fee
  In-State Out-of-State In-State Out-of-State
Original Application      
  Provisional teaching certificate $125 $175 $160 $210
Professional teaching certificate 125 175 160 210
Vocational temporary authorization1) 125 175 160 210
Occupational educational certificate 125 175 160 210
School psychologist certificate 125 175 160 210
School administrator certificate 125 175 160 210
School counselor license -- -- 160 --
Substitute teacher permit 25 -- 45 --
Full-year teacher permit 25 -- 45 --
Emergency permit 25 -- 45 --
Annual vocational authorization2) 25 -- 40 --
Duplicate certificate or authorization 10 -- 25 --
       
  Renewal or Reinstatement      
  Provisional teaching certificate 75 -- 100 --
Vocational temporary authorization1) 75 -- 100 --
Professional teaching certificate 125 -- 160 --
Occupational education certificate 125 -- 160 --
School psychologist certificate 125 -- 160 --
School administrator certificate 125 -- 160 --
School counselor license -- -- 160 --
1) This also would apply to an interim occupational certificate under the bill.
2) The bill would charge this to annual occupational authorization.

MCL 380.1538 et al.

FISCAL IMPACT
State: The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) would face increased costs under this legislation associated with the required start-up and implementation of a new teacher certification database that would provide for the ability to renew teaching certificates on-line, pay on-line and process and issue teaching certificates within 72 hours, and meet other requirements listed in the bill.


The total cost of the new database is estimated at $2.1 million, to be paid over three years. In order to pay for this cost, as well as to eliminate a projected deficit in the Teacher-Administrator Preparation and Certification Fee Fund (which supports professional preparation operations), this bill would increase teaching certificate fees and fees for other school-related personnel. The total amount of certification fee revenue estimated to be raised each year under the bill is $1.7 million. The Governor's fiscal year 2007-08 MDE budget recommendation included appropriation of sufficient funds to pay for the first year's cost for the new database, and proposed this new fee structure accordingly. Also, $200,000 of the increased revenue is intended to support alternative teacher certification programs currently operated at Central Michigan University and Wayne State University.


The MDE also would see increased revenue from a teacher college review fee, to cover the costs of periodic reviews of such colleges of education. The total annual amount of revenue from this fee is $54,000.


Local: The bill would have no fiscal impact on local government.


Date Completed: 10-15-07 Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers-Coty

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. hb4591/0708