PARAPROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION TASK FORCE
House Bill 4458
Sponsor: Rep. William McConico
Committee: Education
Complete to 3-28-01
A SUMMARY OF HOUSE BILL 4458 AS INTRODUCED 3-13-01
House Bill 4458 would amend the Revised School Code to create a temporary commission (as described in Section 4 of Article V of the Michigan Constitution of 1963) that would be a task force, whose members would study the issues concerning the certification of paraprofessionals who work with students in public schools. [Under the bill, "paraprofessional" would be defined to mean a school employee, other than a teacher, who serves in a position that is either instructional in nature, or involves delivery of other direct services to pupils or their parents, and for which a teacher or other professional has the ultimate responsibility for the design, implementation, and evaluation of individual education programs or related services, and for pupil performance.]
Purpose. The Paraprofessional Certification Task Force would be required to make recommendations to the legislature not later than one year after the effective date of the bill. Under the bill, study and recommendations about all of the following issues would be required: a) entry-level standards for training and experience for those entering the profession; b) education and experience requirements for career advancement; c) appropriate roles and responsibilities; and, d) mechanisms to enhance job mobility within and between school districts.
Membership. The Paraprofessional Certification Task Force would consist of 17 members, one appointed by the governor and serving as chair, and 16 appointed by the superintendent of public instruction. Among the members appointed by the state superintendent would be a) two members representing teachers (one appointed from among nominations submitted by the Michigan Education Association, and one appointed from among nominations submitted by the Michigan Federation of Teachers and School Related Personnel); b) eight paraprofessionals (appointed from among nominations jointly submitted by the Michigan Education Association and the Michigan Federation of Teachers and School Related Personnel); c) one member representing school boards (appointed from among nominations submitted by the Michigan Association of School Boards); d) one member representing public school administrators (appointed from among nominations submitted by the Michigan Association of School Administrators); e) one member representing parents (appointed from among nominations submitted by the Michigan Parent Teacher Organization); f) two members representing the department (with one representing the professional development unit, and one representing the special education unit); and g) one member representing institutions of higher education.
Under the bill, members would be appointed not later than 30 days after the effective date of the act, and would serve until the task force findings had been reported to the legislature. If a vacancy occurred in the task force's membership, the superintendent of public instruction would appoint a replacement in the same manner as the original appointment.
Operational rules, protocols, and staffing. The first meeting of the Paraprofessional Certification Task Force would be called by the superintendent of public instruction. A majority of the members would constitute a quorum; however, a majority of the members present and serving would be required for official action. Under the bill, meetings of the task force would be conducted in public and held in compliance with the Open Meetings Act. Further, any written documents in the possession of the task force would be subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
Members of the task force would serve without compensation. However, members could be reimbursed under the Department of Management and Budget travel reimbursement guidelines for mileage expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. The Department of Education would be required to provide staffing and other resources, as reasonably requested by the task force members.
MCL 380.1537
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This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan House staff for use by House members in their deliberations, and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.