SENATE BILL No. 755

 

 

February 9, 2016, Introduced by Senators KNOLLENBERG, PROOS, PAVLOV, HILDENBRAND and MARLEAU and referred to the Committee on Education.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1979 PA 94, entitled

 

"The state school aid act of 1979,"

 

by amending sections 13, 18, 19, 51a, and 58 (MCL 388.1613,

 

388.1618, 388.1619, 388.1651a, and 388.1658), section 13 as amended

 

by 2004 PA 351, section 18 as amended by 2015 PA 114, section 19 as

 

amended by 2014 PA 196, section 51a as amended by 2015 PA 85, and

 

section 58 as amended by 1997 PA 93.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 13. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this act, the

 

apportionments and limitations of the apportionments made under

 

this act shall be made on the membership and number of teachers and

 

other professionals approved by the superintendent employed as of

 

the pupil membership count day of each year and on the taxable

 

value and the operating millage of each district for the calendar

 

year. In addition, a district maintaining school during the entire


year, as provided in section 1561 of the revised school code, MCL

 

380.1561, shall count memberships and educational personnel

 

pursuant to rules promulgated by the superintendent and shall

 

report to the center as required by state and federal law.

 

     (2) For the purposes of determining the number or educational

 

personnel as necessary under this section, the superintendent and

 

the center shall use data supplied by the office of retirement

 

services in the department of technology, management, and budget.

 

     Sec. 18. (1) Except as provided in another section of this

 

article, each district or other entity shall apply the money

 

received by the district or entity under this article to salaries

 

and other compensation of teachers and other employees, tuition,

 

transportation, lighting, heating, ventilation, water service, the

 

purchase of textbooks, other supplies, and any other school

 

operating expenditures defined in section 7. However, not more than

 

20% of the total amount received by a district under sections 22a

 

and 22b or received by an intermediate district under section 81

 

may be transferred by the board to either the capital projects fund

 

or to the debt retirement fund for debt service. The money shall

 

not be applied or taken for a purpose other than as provided in

 

this section. The department shall determine the reasonableness of

 

expenditures and may withhold from a recipient of funds under this

 

article the apportionment otherwise due upon a violation by the

 

recipient.

 

     (2) A district or intermediate district shall adopt an annual

 

budget in a manner that complies with the uniform budgeting and

 

accounting act, 1968 PA 2, MCL 141.421 to 141.440a. Within 15 days


after a district board adopts its annual operating budget for the

 

following school fiscal year, or after a district board adopts a

 

subsequent revision to that budget, the district shall make all of

 

the following available through a link on its website homepage, or

 

may make the information available through a link on its

 

intermediate district's website homepage, in a form and manner

 

prescribed by the department:

 

     (a) The annual operating budget and subsequent budget

 

revisions.

 

     (b) Using data that have already been collected and submitted

 

to the department, a summary of district expenditures for the most

 

recent fiscal year for which they are available, expressed in the

 

following 2 pie charts:

 

     (i) A chart of personnel expenditures, broken into the

 

following subcategories:

 

     (A) Salaries and wages.

 

     (B) Employee benefit costs, including, but not limited to,

 

medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and long-term care

 

benefits.

 

     (C) Retirement benefit costs.

 

     (D) All other personnel costs.

 

     (ii) A chart of all district expenditures, broken into the

 

following subcategories:

 

     (A) Instruction.

 

     (B) Support services.

 

     (C) Business and administration.

 

     (D) Operations and maintenance.


     (c) Links to all of the following:

 

     (i) The current collective bargaining agreement for each

 

bargaining unit.

 

     (ii) Each health care benefits plan, including, but not

 

limited to, medical, dental, vision, disability, long-term care, or

 

any other type of benefits that would constitute health care

 

services, offered to any bargaining unit or employee in the

 

district.

 

     (iii) The audit report of the audit conducted under subsection

 

(4) for the most recent fiscal year for which it is available.

 

     (iv) The bids required under section 5 of the public employees

 

health benefits act, 2007 PA 106, MCL 124.75.

 

     (v) The district's written policy governing procurement of

 

supplies, materials, and equipment.

 

     (vi) The district's written policy establishing specific

 

categories of reimbursable expenses, as described in section

 

1254(2) of the revised school code, MCL 380.1254.

 

     (vii) Either the district's accounts payable check register

 

for the most recent school fiscal year or a statement of the total

 

amount of expenses incurred by board members or employees of the

 

district that were reimbursed by the district for the most recent

 

school fiscal year.

 

     (d) The total salary and a description and cost of each fringe

 

benefit included in the compensation package for the superintendent

 

of the district and for each employee of the district whose salary

 

exceeds $100,000.00.

 

     (e) The annual amount spent on dues paid to associations.


     (f) The annual amount spent on lobbying or lobbying services.

 

As used in this subdivision, "lobbying" means that term as defined

 

in section 5 of 1978 PA 472, MCL 4.415.

 

     (g) Any deficit elimination plan or enhanced deficit

 

elimination plan the district was required to submit under the

 

revised school code.

 

     (h) Identification of all credit cards maintained by the

 

district as district credit cards, the identity of all individuals

 

authorized to use each of those credit cards, the credit limit on

 

each credit card, and the dollar limit, if any, for each

 

individual's authorized use of the credit card.

 

     (i) Costs incurred for each instance of out-of-state travel by

 

the school administrator of the district that is fully or partially

 

paid for by the district and the details of each of those instances

 

of out-of-state travel, including at least identification of each

 

individual on the trip, destination, and purpose.

 

     (3) For the information required under subsection (2)(a),

 

(2)(b)(i), and (2)(c), an intermediate district shall provide the

 

same information in the same manner as required for a district

 

under subsection (2).

 

     (4) For the purposes of determining the reasonableness of

 

expenditures, whether a district or intermediate district has

 

received the proper amount of funds under this article, and whether

 

a violation of this article has occurred, all of the following

 

apply:

 

     (a) The department shall require that each district and

 

intermediate district have an audit of the district's or


intermediate district's financial and pupil accounting records

 

conducted at least annually, and at such other times as determined

 

by the department, at the expense of the district or intermediate

 

district, as applicable. The audits must be performed by a

 

certified public accountant or by the intermediate district

 

superintendent, as may be required by the department, or in the

 

case of a district of the first class by a certified public

 

accountant, the intermediate superintendent, or the auditor general

 

of the city. A district or intermediate district shall retain these

 

records for the current fiscal year and from at least the 3

 

immediately preceding fiscal years.

 

     (b) If a district operates in a single building with fewer

 

than 700 full-time equated pupils, if the district has stable

 

membership, and if the error rate of the immediately preceding 2

 

pupil accounting field audits of the district is less than 2%, the

 

district may have a pupil accounting field audit conducted

 

biennially but must continue to have desk audits for each pupil

 

count. The auditor must document compliance with the audit cycle in

 

the pupil auditing manual. As used in this subdivision, "stable

 

membership" means that the district's membership for the current

 

fiscal year varies from the district's membership for the

 

immediately preceding fiscal year by less than 5%.

 

     (c) A district's or intermediate district's annual financial

 

audit shall include an analysis of the financial and pupil

 

accounting data used as the basis for distribution of state school

 

aid.

 

     (d) The pupil and financial accounting records and reports,


audits, and management letters are subject to requirements

 

established in the auditing and accounting manuals approved and

 

published by the department.

 

     (e) All of the following shall be done not later than November

 

1 each year for reporting the prior fiscal year data:

 

     (i) A district shall file the annual financial audit reports

 

with the intermediate district and the department.

 

     (ii) The intermediate district shall file the annual financial

 

audit reports for the intermediate district with the department.

 

     (iii) The intermediate district shall enter the pupil

 

membership audit reports for its constituent districts and for the

 

intermediate district, for the pupil membership count day and

 

supplemental count day, in the Michigan student data system.

 

     (f) The annual financial audit reports and pupil accounting

 

procedures reports shall be available to the public in compliance

 

with the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to

 

15.246.

 

     (g) Not later than January 31 of each year, the department

 

shall notify the state budget director and the legislative

 

appropriations subcommittees responsible for review of the school

 

aid budget of districts and intermediate districts that have not

 

filed an annual financial audit and pupil accounting procedures

 

report required under this section for the school year ending in

 

the immediately preceding fiscal year.

 

     (5) By November 1 each fiscal year, each district and

 

intermediate district shall submit to the center, in a manner

 

prescribed by the center, annual comprehensive financial data


consistent with accounting manuals and charts of accounts approved

 

and published by the department. For an intermediate district, the

 

report shall also contain the website address where the department

 

can access the report required under section 620 of the revised

 

school code, MCL 380.620. The department shall ensure that the

 

prescribed Michigan public school accounting manual chart of

 

accounts includes standard conventions to distinguish expenditures

 

by allowable fund function and object. The functions shall include

 

at minimum categories for instruction, pupil support, instructional

 

staff support, general administration, school administration,

 

business administration, transportation, facilities operation and

 

maintenance, facilities acquisition, and debt service; and shall

 

include object classifications of salary, benefits, including

 

categories for active employee health expenditures, purchased

 

services, supplies, capital outlay, and other. Districts shall

 

report the required level of detail consistent with the manual as

 

part of the comprehensive annual financial report.

 

     (5) (6) By September 30 of each year, each district and

 

intermediate district shall file with the department the special

 

education actual cost report, known as "SE-4096", on a form and in

 

the manner prescribed by the department.

 

     (6) (7) By October 7 of each year, each district and

 

intermediate district shall file with the center the transportation

 

expenditure report, known as "SE-4094", on a form and in the manner

 

prescribed by the center.

 

     (7) (8) The department shall review its pupil accounting and

 

pupil auditing manuals at least annually and shall periodically


update those manuals to reflect changes in this article.

 

     (8) (9) If a district that is a public school academy

 

purchases property using money received under this article, the

 

public school academy shall retain ownership of the property unless

 

the public school academy sells the property at fair market value.

 

     (9) (10) If a district or intermediate district does not

 

comply with subsections (4), (5), and (6), and (7), the department

 

shall withhold all state school aid due to the district or

 

intermediate district under this article, beginning with the next

 

payment due to the district or intermediate district, until the

 

district or intermediate district complies with subsections (4),

 

(5), and (6). , and (7). If the district or intermediate district

 

does not comply with subsections (4), (5), and (6) , and (7) by the

 

end of the fiscal year, the district or intermediate district

 

forfeits the amount withheld.

 

     (10) (11) If a district or intermediate district does not

 

comply with subsection (2), the department may withhold up to 10%

 

of the total state school aid due to the district or intermediate

 

district under this article, beginning with the next payment due to

 

the district or intermediate district, until the district or

 

intermediate district complies with subsection (2). If the district

 

or intermediate district does not comply with subsection (2) by the

 

end of the fiscal year, the district or intermediate district

 

forfeits the amount withheld.

 

     (11) (12) Not later than November 1, 2015, if a district or

 

intermediate district offers online learning under section 21f, the

 

district or intermediate district shall submit to the department a


report that details the per-pupil costs of operating the online

 

learning by vendor type. The report shall include at least all of

 

the following information concerning the operation of online

 

learning for the school fiscal year ending June 30, 2015:

 

     (a) The name of the district operating the online learning and

 

of each district that enrolled students in the online learning.

 

     (b) The total number of students enrolled in the online

 

learning and the total number of membership pupils enrolled in the

 

online learning.

 

     (c) For each pupil who is enrolled in a district other than

 

the district offering online learning, the name of that district.

 

     (d) The district in which the pupil was enrolled before

 

enrolling in the district offering online learning.

 

     (e) The number of participating students who had previously

 

dropped out of school.

 

     (f) The number of participating students who had previously

 

been expelled from school.

 

     (g) The total cost to enroll a student in the program. This

 

cost shall be reported on a per-pupil, per-course, per-semester or

 

trimester basis by vendor type. The total shall include costs

 

broken down by cost for content development, content licensing,

 

training, online instruction and instructional support, personnel,

 

hardware and software, payment to each online learning provider,

 

and other costs associated with operating online learning.

 

     (h) The name of each online education provider contracted by

 

the district and the state in which each online education provider

 

is headquartered.


     (12) (13) Not later than March 31, 2016, the department shall

 

submit to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on

 

state school aid, the state budget director, and the house and

 

senate fiscal agencies a report summarizing the per-pupil costs by

 

vendor type of online courses available under section 21f.

 

     (13) (14) As used in subsections (11) and (12), and (13),

 

"vendor type" means the following:

 

     (a) Online courses provided by the Michigan Virtual

 

University.

 

     (b) Online courses provided by a school of excellence that is

 

a cyber school, as defined in section 551 of the revised school

 

code, MCL 380.551.

 

     (c) Online courses provided by third party vendors not

 

affiliated with a Michigan public school.

 

     (d) Online courses created and offered by a district or

 

intermediate district.

 

     (14) (15) An allocation to a district or another entity under

 

this article is contingent upon the district's or entity's

 

compliance with this section.

 

     Sec. 19. (1) A district or intermediate district shall comply

 

with all applicable reporting requirements specified in state and

 

federal law. Data provided to the center, in a form and manner

 

prescribed by the center, shall be aggregated and disaggregated as

 

required by state and federal law. In addition, a district or

 

intermediate district shall cooperate with all measures taken by

 

the center to establish and maintain a statewide P-20 longitudinal

 

data system.


     (2) Each district shall furnish to the center not later than 5

 

weeks after the pupil membership count day and by June 30 of the

 

school fiscal year ending in the fiscal year, in a manner

 

prescribed by the center, the information necessary for the

 

preparation of the district and high school graduation report. This

 

information shall meet requirements established in the pupil

 

auditing manual approved and published by the department. The

 

center shall calculate an annual graduation and pupil dropout rate

 

for each high school, each district, and this state, in compliance

 

with nationally recognized standards for these calculations. The

 

center shall report all graduation and dropout rates to the senate

 

and house education committees and appropriations committees, the

 

state budget director, and the department not later than 30 days

 

after the publication of the list described in subsection (6).

 

Before reporting these graduation and dropout rates, the department

 

shall allow a school or district to appeal the calculations. The

 

department shall consider and act upon the appeal within 30 days

 

after it is submitted and shall not report these graduation and

 

dropout rates until after all appeals have been considered and

 

decided.

 

     (3) By the first business day in December and by June 30 of

 

each year, a district shall furnish to the center, in a manner

 

prescribed by the center, To obtain information related to

 

educational personnel as necessary for reporting required by state

 

and federal law, the center shall use data supplied by the office

 

of retirement services in the department of technology, management,

 

and budget.


     (4) By June 30 of each year, a district shall furnish to the

 

center, in a manner prescribed by the center, information related

 

to safety practices and criminal incidents as necessary for

 

reporting required by state and federal law.

 

     (5) If a district or intermediate district fails to meet the

 

requirements of this section, the department shall withhold 5% of

 

the total funds for which the district or intermediate district

 

qualifies under this article until the district or intermediate

 

district complies with all of those subsections. If the district or

 

intermediate district does not comply with all of those subsections

 

by the end of the fiscal year, the department shall place the

 

amount withheld in an escrow account until the district or

 

intermediate district complies with all of those subsections.

 

     (6) Before publishing a list of school or district

 

accountability designations as required by the no child left behind

 

act of 2001, Public Law 107-110, the department shall allow a

 

school or district to appeal that determination. The department

 

shall consider and act upon the appeal within 30 days after it is

 

submitted and shall not publish the list until after all appeals

 

have been considered and decided.

 

     (7) It is the intent of the legislature to implement not later

 

than 2016-2017, statewide standard reporting requirements for

 

education data approved by the department in conjunction with the

 

center. The department shall work with the center, intermediate

 

districts, districts, and other interested stakeholders to develop

 

recommendations on the implementation of this policy change. A

 

district or intermediate district shall implement the statewide


standard reporting requirements not later than 2014-2015 or when a

 

district or intermediate district updates its education data

 

reporting system, whichever is later.

 

     Sec. 51a. (1) From the appropriation in section 11, there is

 

allocated an amount not to exceed $901,946,100.00 for 2014-2015 and

 

an amount not to exceed $918,546,100.00 for 2015-2016 from state

 

sources and all available federal funding under sections 611 to 619

 

of part B of the individuals with disabilities education act, 20

 

USC 1411 to 1419, estimated at $370,000,000.00 each fiscal year for

 

2014-2015 and for 2015-2016, plus any carryover federal funds from

 

previous year appropriations. The allocations under this subsection

 

are for the purpose of reimbursing districts and intermediate

 

districts for special education programs, services, and special

 

education personnel as prescribed in article 3 of the revised

 

school code, MCL 380.1701 to 380.1766; net tuition payments made by

 

intermediate districts to the Michigan schools for the deaf and

 

blind; and special education programs and services for pupils who

 

are eligible for special education programs and services according

 

to statute or rule. For meeting the costs of special education

 

programs and services not reimbursed under this article, a district

 

or intermediate district may use money in general funds or special

 

education funds, not otherwise restricted, or contributions from

 

districts to intermediate districts, tuition payments, gifts and

 

contributions from individuals or other entities, or federal funds

 

that may be available for this purpose, as determined by the

 

intermediate district plan prepared pursuant to article 3 of the

 

revised school code, MCL 380.1701 to 380.1766. Notwithstanding


section 17b, payments of federal funds to districts, intermediate

 

districts, and other eligible entities under this section shall be

 

paid on a schedule determined by the department.

 

     (2) From the funds allocated under subsection (1), there is

 

allocated the amount necessary, estimated at $248,100,000.00 for

 

2014-2015 and estimated at $251,800,000.00 for 2015-2016, for

 

payments toward reimbursing districts and intermediate districts

 

for 28.6138% of total approved costs of special education,

 

excluding costs reimbursed under section 53a, and 70.4165% of total

 

approved costs of special education transportation. Allocations

 

under this subsection shall be made as follows:

 

     (a) The initial amount allocated to a district under this

 

subsection toward fulfilling the specified percentages shall be

 

calculated by multiplying the district's special education pupil

 

membership, excluding pupils described in subsection (11), times

 

the foundation allowance under section 20 of the pupil's district

 

of residence, not to exceed the basic foundation allowance under

 

section 20 for the current fiscal year, or, for a special education

 

pupil in membership in a district that is a public school academy,

 

times an amount equal to the amount per membership pupil calculated

 

under section 20(6) or, for a pupil described in this subsection

 

who is counted in membership in the education achievement system,

 

times an amount equal to the amount per membership pupil under

 

section 20(7). For an intermediate district, the amount allocated

 

under this subdivision toward fulfilling the specified percentages

 

shall be an amount per special education membership pupil,

 

excluding pupils described in subsection (11), and shall be


calculated in the same manner as for a district, using the

 

foundation allowance under section 20 of the pupil's district of

 

residence, not to exceed the basic foundation allowance under

 

section 20 for the current fiscal year.

 

     (b) After the allocations under subdivision (a), districts and

 

intermediate districts for which the payments calculated under

 

subdivision (a) do not fulfill the specified percentages shall be

 

paid the amount necessary to achieve the specified percentages for

 

the district or intermediate district.

 

     (3) From the funds allocated under subsection (1), there is

 

allocated for 2014-2015 an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 and

 

there is allocated for 2015-2016 an amount not to exceed

 

$1,300,000.00 to make payments to districts and intermediate

 

districts under this subsection. If the amount allocated to a

 

district or intermediate district for a fiscal year under

 

subsection (2)(b) is less than the sum of the amounts allocated to

 

the district or intermediate district for 1996-97 under sections 52

 

and 58, there is allocated to the district or intermediate district

 

for the fiscal year an amount equal to that difference, adjusted by

 

applying the same proration factor that was used in the

 

distribution of funds under section 52 in 1996-97 as adjusted to

 

the district's or intermediate district's necessary costs of

 

special education used in calculations for the fiscal year. This

 

adjustment is to reflect reductions in special education program

 

operations or services between 1996-97 and subsequent fiscal years.

 

Adjustments for reductions in special education program operations

 

or services shall be made in a manner determined by the department


and shall include adjustments for program or service shifts.

 

     (4) If the department determines that the sum of the amounts

 

allocated for a fiscal year to a district or intermediate district

 

under subsection (2)(a) and (b) is not sufficient to fulfill the

 

specified percentages in subsection (2), then the shortfall shall

 

be paid to the district or intermediate district during the fiscal

 

year beginning on the October 1 following the determination and

 

payments under subsection (3) shall be adjusted as necessary. If

 

the department determines that the sum of the amounts allocated for

 

a fiscal year to a district or intermediate district under

 

subsection (2)(a) and (b) exceeds the sum of the amount necessary

 

to fulfill the specified percentages in subsection (2), then the

 

department shall deduct the amount of the excess from the

 

district's or intermediate district's payments under this article

 

for the fiscal year beginning on the October 1 following the

 

determination and payments under subsection (3) shall be adjusted

 

as necessary. However, if the amount allocated under subsection

 

(2)(a) in itself exceeds the amount necessary to fulfill the

 

specified percentages in subsection (2), there shall be no

 

deduction under this subsection.

 

     (5) State funds shall be allocated on a total approved cost

 

basis. Federal funds shall be allocated under applicable federal

 

requirements, except that an amount not to exceed $3,500,000.00 may

 

be allocated by the department each fiscal year for 2014-2015 and

 

for 2015-2016 to districts, intermediate districts, or other

 

eligible entities on a competitive grant basis for programs,

 

equipment, and services that the department determines to be


designed to benefit or improve special education on a statewide

 

scale.

 

     (6) From the amount allocated in subsection (1), there is

 

allocated an amount not to exceed $2,200,000.00 each fiscal year

 

for 2014-2015 and for 2015-2016 to reimburse 100% of the net

 

increase in necessary costs incurred by a district or intermediate

 

district in implementing the revisions in the administrative rules

 

for special education that became effective on July 1, 1987. As

 

used in this subsection, "net increase in necessary costs" means

 

the necessary additional costs incurred solely because of new or

 

revised requirements in the administrative rules minus cost savings

 

permitted in implementing the revised rules. Net increase in

 

necessary costs shall be determined in a manner specified by the

 

department.

 

     (7) For purposes of sections 51a to 58, all of the following

 

apply:

 

     (a) "Total approved costs of special education" shall be

 

determined in a manner specified by the department and may include

 

indirect costs, but shall not exceed 115% of approved direct costs

 

for section 52 and section 53a programs. The total approved costs

 

include salary and other compensation for all approved special

 

education personnel for the program, including payments for social

 

security and Medicare and public school employee employees'

 

retirement system contributions. The total approved costs do not

 

include salaries or other compensation paid to administrative

 

personnel who are not special education personnel as defined in

 

section 6 of the revised school code, MCL 380.6. Costs reimbursed


by federal funds, other than those federal funds included in the

 

allocation made under this article, are not included. Special

 

education approved personnel not utilized full time in the

 

evaluation of students or in the delivery of special education

 

programs, ancillary, and other related services shall be reimbursed

 

under this section only for that portion of time actually spent

 

providing these programs and services, with the exception of

 

special education programs and services provided to youth placed in

 

child caring institutions or juvenile detention programs approved

 

by the department to provide an on-grounds education program.

 

     (b) Beginning with the 2004-2005 fiscal year, a district or

 

intermediate district that employed special education support

 

services staff to provide special education support services in

 

2003-2004 or in a subsequent fiscal year and that in a fiscal year

 

after 2003-2004 receives the same type of support services from

 

another district or intermediate district shall report the cost of

 

those support services for special education reimbursement purposes

 

under this article. For the purposes of this subdivision, the

 

department or the center shall only require districts and

 

intermediate districts to report information that is not already

 

available from the center's financial information database. This

 

subdivision does not prohibit the transfer of special education

 

classroom teachers and special education classroom aides if the

 

pupils counted in membership associated with those special

 

education classroom teachers and special education classroom aides

 

are transferred and counted in membership in the other district or

 

intermediate district in conjunction with the transfer of those


teachers and aides.

 

     (c) If the department determines before bookclosing for a

 

fiscal year that the amounts allocated for that fiscal year under

 

subsections (2), (3), (6), and (11) and sections 53a, 54, and 56

 

will exceed expenditures for that fiscal year under subsections

 

(2), (3), (6), and (11) and sections 53a, 54, and 56, then for a

 

district or intermediate district whose reimbursement for that

 

fiscal year would otherwise be affected by subdivision (b),

 

subdivision (b) does not apply to the calculation of the

 

reimbursement for that district or intermediate district and

 

reimbursement for that district or intermediate district shall be

 

calculated in the same manner as it was for 2003-2004. If the

 

amount of the excess allocations under subsections (2), (3), (6),

 

and (11) and sections 53a, 54, and 56 is not sufficient to fully

 

fund the calculation of reimbursement to those districts and

 

intermediate districts under this subdivision, then the

 

calculations and resulting reimbursement under this subdivision

 

shall be prorated on an equal percentage basis. Beginning in 2015-

 

2016, the amount of reimbursement under this subdivision for a

 

fiscal year shall not exceed $2,000,000.00 for any district or

 

intermediate district.

 

     (d) Reimbursement for ancillary and other related services, as

 

defined by R 340.1701c of the Michigan administrative code, shall

 

not be provided when those services are covered by and available

 

through private group health insurance carriers or federal

 

reimbursed program sources unless the department and district or

 

intermediate district agree otherwise and that agreement is


approved by the state budget director. Expenses, other than the

 

incidental expense of filing, shall not be borne by the parent. In

 

addition, the filing of claims shall not delay the education of a

 

pupil. A district or intermediate district shall be responsible for

 

payment of a deductible amount and for an advance payment required

 

until the time a claim is paid.

 

     (e) Beginning with calculations for 2004-2005, if an

 

intermediate district purchases a special education pupil

 

transportation service from a constituent district that was

 

previously purchased from a private entity; if the purchase from

 

the constituent district is at a lower cost, adjusted for changes

 

in fuel costs; and if the cost shift from the intermediate district

 

to the constituent does not result in any net change in the revenue

 

the constituent district receives from payments under sections 22b

 

and 51c, then upon application by the intermediate district, the

 

department shall direct the intermediate district to continue to

 

report the cost associated with the specific identified special

 

education pupil transportation service and shall adjust the costs

 

reported by the constituent district to remove the cost associated

 

with that specific service. For the purposes of this subdivision,

 

the department or the center shall only require districts and

 

intermediate districts to report information that is not already

 

available from the center's financial information database.

 

     (8) A pupil who is enrolled in a full-time special education

 

program conducted or administered by an intermediate district or a

 

pupil who is enrolled in the Michigan schools for the deaf and

 

blind shall not be included in the membership count of a district,


but shall be counted in membership in the intermediate district of

 

residence.

 

     (9) Special education personnel transferred from 1 district to

 

another to implement the revised school code shall be entitled to

 

the rights, benefits, and tenure to which the person would

 

otherwise be entitled had that person been employed by the

 

receiving district originally.

 

     (10) If a district or intermediate district uses money

 

received under this section for a purpose other than the purpose or

 

purposes for which the money is allocated, the department may

 

require the district or intermediate district to refund the amount

 

of money received. Money that is refunded shall be deposited in the

 

state treasury to the credit of the state school aid fund.

 

     (11) From the funds allocated in subsection (1), there is

 

allocated the amount necessary, estimated at $3,400,000.00 for

 

2014-2015 and estimated at $3,300,000.00 for 2015-2016, to pay the

 

foundation allowances for pupils described in this subsection. The

 

allocation to a district under this subsection shall be calculated

 

by multiplying the number of pupils described in this subsection

 

who are counted in membership in the district times the foundation

 

allowance under section 20 of the pupil's district of residence,

 

not to exceed the basic foundation allowance under section 20 for

 

the current fiscal year, or, for a pupil described in this

 

subsection who is counted in membership in a district that is a

 

public school academy, times an amount equal to the amount per

 

membership pupil under section 20(6) or, for a pupil described in

 

this subsection who is counted in membership in the education


achievement system, times an amount equal to the amount per

 

membership pupil under section 20(7). The allocation to an

 

intermediate district under this subsection shall be calculated in

 

the same manner as for a district, using the foundation allowance

 

under section 20 of the pupil's district of residence, not to

 

exceed the basic foundation allowance under section 20 for the

 

current fiscal year. This subsection applies to all of the

 

following pupils:

 

     (a) Pupils described in section 53a.

 

     (b) Pupils counted in membership in an intermediate district

 

who are not special education pupils and are served by the

 

intermediate district in a juvenile detention or child caring

 

facility.

 

     (c) Pupils with an emotional impairment counted in membership

 

by an intermediate district and provided educational services by

 

the department of health and human services.

 

     (12) If it is determined that funds allocated under subsection

 

(2) or (11) or under section 51c will not be expended, funds up to

 

the amount necessary and available may be used to supplement the

 

allocations under subsection (2) or (11) or under section 51c in

 

order to fully fund those allocations. After payments under

 

subsections (2) and (11) and section 51c, the remaining

 

expenditures from the allocation in subsection (1) shall be made in

 

the following order:

 

     (a) 100% of the reimbursement required under section 53a.

 

     (b) 100% of the reimbursement required under subsection (6).

 

     (c) 100% of the payment required under section 54.


     (d) 100% of the payment required under subsection (3).

 

     (e) 100% of the payments under section 56.

 

     (13) The allocations under subsections (2), (3), and (11)

 

shall be allocations to intermediate districts only and shall not

 

be allocations to districts, but instead shall be calculations used

 

only to determine the state payments under section 22b.

 

     (14) If a public school academy enrolls pursuant to this

 

section a pupil who resides outside of the intermediate district in

 

which the public school academy is located and who is eligible for

 

special education programs and services according to statute or

 

rule, or who is a child with disabilities, as defined under the

 

individuals with disabilities education act, Public Law 108-446,

 

the provision of special education programs and services and the

 

payment of the added costs of special education programs and

 

services for the pupil are the responsibility of the district and

 

intermediate district in which the pupil resides unless the

 

enrolling district or intermediate district has a written agreement

 

with the district or intermediate district in which the pupil

 

resides or the public school academy for the purpose of providing

 

the pupil with a free appropriate public education and the written

 

agreement includes at least an agreement on the responsibility for

 

the payment of the added costs of special education programs and

 

services for the pupil.

 

     (15) It is the intent of the legislature that, beginning in

 

2016-2017, a district, public school academy, or intermediate

 

district that fails to comply with subsection (14) or with the

 

requirements of federal regulations regarding the treatment of


public school academies and public school academy pupils for the

 

purposes of special education, 34 CFR 300.209, forfeits from its

 

total state aid an amount equal to 10% of its total state aid.

 

     Sec. 58. Allocations to districts and intermediate districts

 

under section 51a for providing special education transportation

 

services shall be based on data reported by the districts and

 

intermediate districts for the current school year. For the

 

purposes of this section, the department or the center shall only

 

require districts and intermediate districts to report information

 

that is not already available from the center's financial

 

information database.

 

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act takes effect 90 days

 

after the date it is enacted into law.