USE OF CTE CURRICULUM TO FULFILL

FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT

Senate Bill 171 as passed by the Senate

Sponsor:  Sen. Jim Stamas

House Committee:  Education

Senate Committee:  Education and Career Readiness

Complete to 2-23-20

SUMMARY:

Senate Bill 171 would remove a graduation deadline for students to fulfill their foreign language graduation requirement by completing a career and technical education (CTE) program or curriculum approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) or by completing visual or performing arts instruction.

2014 PA 208 (HB 4465) instituted the ability for part or all of the foreign language requirement in the Michigan Merit Curriculum to be met by completing an MDE-approved CTE program or curriculum or by completing visual or performing arts instruction. That ability was extended to students graduating from high school in 2015 to 2020, with subsequent acts extending it as far as those students graduating in 2024. The bill would remove the deadline entirely.

Additionally, the bill would remove the reporting requirement instituted by 2018 PA 232 (SB 175)[1] that currently requires a school district or public school academy (PSA, or charter school) to report both of the following, beginning September 1, 2018, and yearly thereafter:

·         The number of students who partially or fully fulfilled one foreign language credit by completing an MDE-approved CTE program or curriculum in the previous school year.

·         The number of students who partially or fully fulfilled one foreign language credit by completing visual or performing arts instruction in the previous school year.

MCL 380.1278a

FISCAL IMPACT:

Senate Bill 171 would result in a minimal cost savings for MDE and for school districts and PSAs.

MDE would save the administrative costs of collecting a report from school districts and PSAs regarding the number of pupils who partially or fully fulfilled one credit in a language other than English by completing comparable coursework in CTE or visual or performing arts.

School districts and PSAs would save the administrative costs of tracking and complying with the reporting requirements.

                                                                                        Legislative Analyst:   Jenny McInerney

                                                                                               Fiscal Analysts:   Samuel Christensen

                                                                                                                           Jacqueline Mullen

■ This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House Fiscal Agency staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.

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