The bill amends the State School Aid Act of 1979 to enhance the funding and administration of educational assessments in Michigan, appropriating $17,769,551,300 from the state school aid fund for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2025. It establishes that general fund allocations must be utilized before accessing the state school aid fund and details the transfer of any unspent general fund allocations to the school aid stabilization fund. Additionally, the bill requires compliance with specific sections of the revised school code for districts to qualify for state aid and allocates funds to cover the costs associated with these compliance measures.

Key changes include the introduction of a new section (104d) that provides flexibility in state-administered assessment systems and modifies the Michigan Merit Examination to include components for college entrance, work skills, and social studies, while ensuring individual student reports are provided. The bill also allows the middle college program to use a 5-year graduation rate for assessing adequate yearly progress and mandates the inclusion of statewide assessment scores and graduation rates for consortium pupils in district reports. Furthermore, it outlines the requirements for districts to administer state assessments aligned with state standards, develop a summative assessment system, and implement pilot programs for new assessment methods, all while ensuring compliance with federal education laws.

Statutes affected:
Substitute (H-1): 388.1611
House Introduced Bill: 388.1611
As Passed by the House: 388.1611