AMERICAN HISTORY & GOVERNMENT

Senate Bill 423 as passed the Senate

Sponsor:  Sen. Patrick Colbeck

House Committee:  Education

Senate Committee:  Education

Complete to 3-4-14

A SUMMARY OF SENATE BILL 423 (S-1) AS PASSED BY THE SENATE 12-11-13

The bill would amend the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1278 et al) to do the following:

·                    Encourage the board of a school district, or board of directors of a public school academy (customarily called a charter school), to provide instruction that focuses on the core principles of the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the State of Michigan Constitution.

·                    Allow (but not require) the board of a school district or charter school, and its professional school personnel, to develop curricula and materials for the instruction proposed by the bill that are aligned with the State Board of Education recommended model core academic curriculum content standards.

·                    Require the State Board of Education, before May 1, 2014, to update the standards for each grade-level social studies state assessment, to ensure the standards cover the instruction required under the bill.

·                    Require the superintendent of public instruction to ensure that state assessments for all social studies state assessment grade levels include questions related to the instruction described in the bill, including at least the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

There would be some cost to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) for development and periodic updating of core academic curriculum content standards.  The state board would also make available to all nonpublic schools in this state, as a resource for their consideration, the model core academic curriculum content standards developed for public schools for the purpose of assisting them in developing its core academic curriculum.

Additionally, there could be cost associated with student assessments.  The state board would need to ensure that the approved Michigan student assessment tests for social studies are based on the state recommended model core curriculum content standards described in this bill.  It is likely that added social studies questions would need to be created for the grades to be assessed.

Therefore, there could be some administrative cost in MDE staff resources for both curriculum development and creation of related assessment questions.

                                                                                           Legislative Analyst:   J. Hunault

                                                                                                 Fiscal Analysts:   Bethany Wicksall

                                                                                                                           Karen Shapiro

■ 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.