STRICT DISCIPLINE ACADEMY ENROLLMENT H.B. 4665 (H-1):
SUMMARY OF HOUSE-PASSED BILL
IN COMMITTEE
House Bill 4665 (Substitute H-1 as passed by the House)
Sponsor: Representative Rob VerHeulen
House Committee: Education Reform
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to allow a student admitted to a strict discipline academy (SDA) because he or she was suspended from a school district to remain enrolled at the SDA after the term of his or her suspension; and allow a pupil who was enrolled in a strict discipline academy to remain enrolled in the SDA after he or she no longer met the requirements for enrollment.
Under the Code, a strict discipline academy is a public school, organized and administered under the direction of a board of directors with bylaws adopted by the board. The Code provides for the establishment of a strict discipline academy for the enrollment of one or more of the following types of pupils:
-- Pupils placed in the SDA by a court or by the Department of Health and Human Services or a county juvenile agency under the direction of the court.
-- Pupils who have been expelled from a school district for possessing a dangerous weapon in a weapon free school zone, committing arson in a school building or on school grounds, or committing criminal sexual conduct in a school building or on school grounds.
-- Pupils who have been expelled from a school district for committing, while enrolled in grade six or above, a physical or verbal assault as defined by school board policy.
-- Other pupils who have been expelled from school, or pupils who have been suspended from school for more than 10 school days, and who are referred to the SDA by the pupil's school and placed in the strict discipline academy by the pupil's parent or legal guardian.
A suspended pupil may be allowed to attend the strict discipline academy only for the duration of the suspension. The bill would delete this restriction.
Also, under the bill, an SDA could enroll a pupil who had been expelled or suspended from school and who was referred to the SDA by the pupil's school or placed in the SDA by the pupil's parent or legal guardian (instead of both).
Under the Code, a strict discipline academy also must be open for the enrollment of a special education pupil who is not one of the above types of pupils if the special education pupil's individualized education program team recommends that the pupil be placed in the SDA. Additionally, a strict discipline academy may enroll a pupil who is placed in a high-security or medium-security juvenile facility, mental health facility, or child caring institution that is operated by a private agency.
Under the bill, a pupil who was enrolled in a strict discipline academy could, at the option of his or her parent or legal guardian, continue to remain enrolled in the SDA after he or she ceased to meet the criteria described above, as long as he or she met other applicable requirements for enrollment.
Currently, except for a suspended pupil who is attending the strict discipline academy for the duration of the suspension, a strict discipline academy must allow any pupil who was enrolled in the SDA in the immediately preceding school year to enroll in the SDA in the appropriate grade unless the appropriate grade is not offered at that SDA.
The bill would delete the exception that applies to a suspended pupil
MCL 380.1311g Legislative Analyst: Nathan Leaman
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State government, but could have an impact on school districts.
Under current law, when a suspension ends, a student's enrollment at a strict discipline academy (SDA) terminates; however, the bill would allow enrollment to continue at the SDA upon completion of the suspension. Due to the operation of Section 25f of the School Aid Act, funding follows the student: where a student is enrolled and for how long within the year determines a district's foundation allowance funding. Therefore, the bill could have an impact on school districts (including public school academies) to the extent that students chose to stay enrolled at a strict discipline academy, rather than return to the school in which they were enrolled prior to the suspension.
Fiscal Analyst: Kathryn Summers
This 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.