Schools

State Changes Age for Kindergarten Cut-Off Date, New Autism Bills Signed into Law

Hartland school board member Michelle Hutchinson's Legislative Relations Network (LRN) report.

By Michelle Hutchinson

Kindergarten cut off date

The House Education Committee supported HBs 4513-14 that change the kindergarten cutoff date from Dec. 1 to Sept. 1. This cutoff date would be phased in over the next 3 years. The cutoff date would change to Nov. 1 for 2013-14; Oct. 1 for 2014-15; and Sept. 1 for 2015-16. This is now on its way to the House for a vote. They did add the waivers back in allowing principals to accept students who were born after the cutoff date. The principal must form a committee to determine whether the student is accepted. 

School aid budget
The House and Senate Appropriations Committees presented their versions of the School Aid budget. For the most part these bills remain unchanged from the versions passed in the subcommittees. The bills are expected to be considered by the full House and Senate next week. The Senate Appropriations did alter a few categoricals, one being that 1/2 day kindergarten only receives 1/2 foundation. 

Autism Bills
A package of autism bills were signed into law on April 18th. These bills mandate that insurance providers provide autism coverage. Additionally, the bills include a state fund to help defray the cost of this coverage. 

The Personal Property Tax Bill (PPT)
The Senate is expected to move their PPT bills quickly. MASB has stated that they will send out an analysis of the bills and their financial impact sometime this week when more information is available. The Senate Fiscal analysis shows an approximate loss of $120 per student if the PPT is erased and not replaced. More information can be found through the The Replace Don’t Erase Coalition atwww.replacedonterase.com

Change in Graduation requirement
New bill introduced last week modifies some graduation requirements. HB 5534 would add computer science as an option to fully or partially satisfy the Algebra II requirements and would remove the requirement of foreign language from the Michigan Merit Curriculum. This bill has just been introduced and is still in committee. 

To get more information about any of these bills go to http://www.legislature.mi.gov/

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