Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Legislative Analysis
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ELIMINATE REQUIREMENT FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS
                                                                                 http://www.house.mi.gov/hfa
TO START SCHOOL YEAR AFTER LABOR DAY
                                                                                 Analysis available at
House Bill 4671 as reported from committee                                       http://www.legislature.mi.gov
Sponsor: Rep. Matt Koleszar
Committee: Education
Complete to 6-13-23
SUMMARY:
           House Bill 4673 would amend section 1284a of the Revised School Code to remove references
           to a requirement that schools not begin their school year prior to Labor Day unless they apply
           for and receive a waiver from the state superintendent, or they were operating on a year-round
           schedule or operating an international baccalaureate program as of September 29, 2005. 1
           The bill would also repeal section 1284b of the Revised School Code, which contains the
           prohibition on schools starting their academic year prior to Labor Day (the first Monday in
           September), and section 160 of the State School Aid Act, which requires school districts and
           intermediate school districts to use a portion of their state aid dollars to hold a public hearing
           if applying for a waiver to the Labor Day start date provision. The Labor Day provision took
           effect in 2006. 2
           MCL 380.1284a (amended) and MCL 380.1284b and 388.1760 (repealed)
           The bill would take effect 90 days after being enacted.
BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DISCUSSION:
           School year start dates are set by each district in accordance with state law. Unless otherwise
           authorized by statute, Michigan schools are required to provide 1,098 hours and 180 days of
           pupil instruction each school year. Failing to provide that minimum amount of instruction
           results in loss of state aid. Starting in 2006, schools were required to begin their school year
           after Labor Day, with a few exceptions later added to accommodate schools with educational
           programs that were best implemented over a time frame longer than the minimum instructional
           time provided in law, and schools are currently allowed to seek a waiver from the state
           superintendent to begin the school year before Labor Day.
           The original intent of pushing the school year start back was to allow businesses a set window
           to employ students for the summer season and to ensure that students would not leave their
           summer jobs prior to Labor Day weekend, which marks the traditional end of the main summer
           tourism season. For businesses in Michigan’s tourism hot spots, this takes on added
           importance, as business owners make most of their annual revenue in the summer months.
           With businesses across the state reporting difficulty in attracting and retaining workers,
           especially in entry-level jobs in food service and retail, losing students prior to Labor Day
1
    http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2006-HB-5977
2
    http://legislature.mi.gov/doc.aspx?2005-HB-4803
House Fiscal Agency                                                                               Page 1 of 3
        weekend has businesses concerned that they will lose revenue due to short staffing impacting
        their operating hours.
        In 2022, approximately 75% of Michigan’s schools started their school year prior to Labor
        Day. 3 Separate from the start of the school year, the Michigan High School Athletic
        Association (MHSAA) allows schools to begin holding formal practices for fall sports in early
        August, which often results in students leaving their summer employment before the school
        year starts. Because the majority of schools begin prior to Labor Day, supporters of the bill say
        that repealing the post-Labor Day start date requirement will have minimal impact on
        businesses, which have already had to contend with many students beginning their respective
        school years prior to Labor Day, and that districts that cover communities that rely on summer
        tourism will still be able to set their start dates after Labor Day. They note that repealing the
        requirement would result in less paperwork and bureaucracy for both local districts and the
        state Department of Education.
FISCAL IMPACT:
        The bill would have no fiscal impact on the state and may decrease costs for certain districts,
        intermediate school districts (ISDs), and public school academies (PSAs) that plan to begin the
        school year before Labor Day. Section 160 of the School Aid Act requires districts, ISDs, and
        PSAs to pay for the cost of conducting a public hearing when applying for a waiver under
        section 1284b of the Revised School Code. The bill would repeal these sections and eliminate
        the requirement for a public hearing and therefore any costs associated with the hearing.
POSITIONS:
        Representatives of the following entities testified in support of House Bill 4671 (6-6-23):
           • Michigan Association of School Administrators
           • Michigan Association of School Boards
        The following entities indicated support for House Bill 4671:
           • Michigan Department of Education (6-6-23)
           • Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) (6-13-23)
           • Education Advocates of West Michigan (6-13-23)
           • Social Equity Caucus (6-13-23)
           • Michigan Elementary and Middle School Principals Association (6-13-23)
           • Wayne RESA (6-6-23)
           • Michigan Farm Bureau (6-6-23)
           • Michigan Education Association (6-6-23)
           • Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Jackson, Lenawee, and Monroe ISDs (6-6-23)
           • Oakland Schools (6-6-23)
           • Michigan Association of Public School Academies (6-6-23)
           • Great Lakes Education Project Education Fund (6-6-23)
           • Michigan Alliance for Student Opportunity (6-6-23)
           • Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (6-13-23)
3
 https://www.mlive.com/news/2022/09/its-michigan-law-to-start-school-after-labor-day-so-why-are-most-starting-
earlier.html
House Fiscal Agency                                           HB 4671 as reported from committee    Page 2 of 3
       Representatives of the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Association testified in opposition to
       House Bill 4671. (6-6-23)
       The following entities indicated opposition to House Bill 4671:
          • Michigan Association of Recreation Vehicles and Campgrounds (6-13-23)
          • Michigan Boating Industries Association (6-6-23)
          • Michigan Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (6-6-23)
          • Traverse City Tourism (6-6-23)
          • Upper Peninsula Travel Association (6-6-23)
                                                          Legislative Analyst: Josh Roesner
                                                             Fiscal Analysts: Jacqueline Mullen
                                                                               Noel Benson
■ 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.
House Fiscal Agency                                      HB 4671 as reported from committee   Page 3 of 3
Statutes affected: 
House Introduced Bill: 380.1284, 388.1760