April 22, 2010, Introduced by Senators CASSIS, KUIPERS and VAN WOERKOM and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
(MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1280d.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1280d. (1) If a school district or public school academy
operates a school that is identified under section 1280c as being
among the lowest achieving 5% of all public schools in this state,
the school district or public school academy shall develop and
implement a program for the purposes of providing enhanced
instructional services, periodic screenings, and early intervening
services as described in this section; improving the literacy and
numeracy skills of students in grades K to 3 so that they are
reading at grade level as soon as possible; and preventing
inappropriate or unnecessary referrals to special education
services. The school district or public school academy shall
implement this program not later than the beginning of the 2010-
2011 school year.
(2) A program provided under this section shall meet all of
the following:
(a) Shall provide in each elementary school a comprehensive
literacy and numeracy curriculum that is designed to meet the
Michigan grade level content expectations developed by the
department in English language arts and mathematics for the grade
in which the pupils are enrolled, as measured by a scientifically
research-based universal screening tool that is proven reliable and
valid.
(b) Shall be designed to include active and continuous
involvement of the parents or guardians of the pupils participating
in the program.
(c) Shall provide all pupils in grades K to 3 in the
elementary school with literacy and numeracy instruction every
school day in which it is practicable to do so using a core
comprehensive literacy or numeracy program that is scientifically
research-based. The literacy instruction must include learner-
appropriate tools such as phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension, and oral language and writing.
(d) Shall regularly measure pupils' literacy and numeracy
skills in all of grades K to 3 in the elementary school. Screenings
shall be conducted schoolwide on an ongoing basis each school year
in each of grades K to 3, using a scientifically research-based
universal screening tool that is proven reliable and valid.
(e) If a pupil is determined by the screening under
subdivision (d) to need intervention, then the program shall
provide the pupil with literacy or numeracy instruction each school
day in addition to the instruction required under subdivision (c).
If a pupil is determined to need additional instruction, the
pupil's progress shall be monitored at least every 6 weeks. Data
from this progress monitoring shall be used to adjust instruction
for the pupil.
(f) If a pupil in grades K to 3 has been determined to not
meet applicable basic literacy or numeracy grade level content
expectations for his or her grade level, then by the end of the
first semester or trimester, or as early as is practicable for
parents to assist in the pupil's academic improvement, whichever is
earlier, the program shall provide for a written notice to the
pupil's parent or legal guardian. Beginning in the 2011-2012 school
year, this subdivision applies to pupils in grades K to 4.
Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, this subdivision also
applies to pupils in grade 7. The notice shall include all of the
following:
(i) Notification that the pupil's school has determined that
the child has failed to meet content expectations in English
language arts or mathematics established by the department for the
pupil's grade level.
(ii) Notification as to the role the parent or guardian can
play at home to improve the pupil's literacy and numeracy skills,
including at least additional assistance that the parent or
guardian can give to the pupil and a description of varied
approaches to completing homework or extra practice in order to
help raise the reading or numeracy skill level of the pupil.
(g) The program shall do all of the following:
(i) Beginning in the 2011-2012 school year, administer a
scientifically research-based universal screening tool that is
proven reliable and valid at the end of grade 4 to identify pupils
who require additional literacy or numeracy intervention. An
evaluator shall also consider the pupil's assessment scores on the
Michigan education assessment program English language arts and
mathematics assessments, the pupil's grade point average if
applicable, and the pupil's attendance and work habits including
beginning and completing work on time and following directions.
(ii) Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, administer a
scientifically research-based universal screening tool that is
proven reliable and valid at the end of grade 7 to identify pupils
who require additional literacy or numeracy intervention. An
evaluator shall also consider the pupil's assessment scores on the
Michigan education assessment program English language arts and
mathematics assessments, the pupil's grade point average if
applicable, and the pupil's attendance and work habits including
beginning and completing work on time and following directions.
(iii) If a pupil is determined by the screening under
subparagraph (i) or (ii) to need intervention, then the program shall
provide the pupil with literacy or numeracy intervention in grade 5
or 8, as applicable, in addition to the pupil's regular literacy
and numeracy instruction. The additional literacy instruction shall
teach vocabulary, comprehension, and writing skills that may be
used for all content areas based on the Michigan grade level
content expectations. The additional literacy or numeracy
instruction shall be provided either as an additional separate
class or subject or outside regular school hours. If a pupil is
determined to need additional instruction, the pupil's progress
shall be monitored at least every 6 weeks. Data from this progress
monitoring shall be used to adjust instruction for the pupil. In
addition, a school district or public school academy shall include
in its intervention programs for grades 5 and 8 initiatives to
improve pupils' classroom behavior and social skills, including at
least all of the following initiatives:
(A) Use of adult advocates or other engaged adults to help
pupils establish attainable academic and behavioral goals with
specific benchmarks.
(B) Recognition of pupil accomplishments.
(C) Teaching of strategies to strengthen problem-solving and
decision-making skills.
(D) Establishment of partnerships as necessary with community-
based program providers and other agencies such as social services,
family assistance, mental health, and law enforcement.
(3) In addition to the program requirements under subsection
(2), a school district or public school academy that is required to
comply with this section shall implement the following initiatives
not later than the beginning of the 2010-2011 school year to
complement the program under subsection (2):
(a) In the middle school grades, both of the following:
(i) Providing teachers with ongoing ways to expand their
knowledge and improve their skills.
(ii) Integration of academic content with career- and skill-
based themes through career academies or multiple pathways models.
(b) In the high school grades, all of the following:
(i) Hosting career days and offering opportunities for work-
related experiences and visits to postsecondary campuses.
(ii) Providing pupils with extra assistance and information
about the demands of college.
(iii) Partnering with local businesses to provide opportunities
for work-related experience such as internships, simulated job
interviews, or long-term employment.
(iv) Assigning adult advocates to pupils at risk of dropping
out. All of the following apply to this initiative:
(A) The school district or public school academy shall choose
adults who are committed to investing in the pupil's personal and
academic success, shall keep caseloads for the adults low, and
shall purposefully match specific pupils with a specific adult
advocate.
(B) The school district or public school academy shall
establish a regular time in the school day or school week for a
pupil to meet with the adult advocate.
(C) The school district or public school academy shall
communicate with the adult advocates about the various obstacles
pupils may encounter and provide the adult advocates with guidance
and training about how to work with pupils, parents, or school
staff to address these obstacles.
(4) A school district or public school academy that has a
successful literacy and numeracy intervention program in place may
apply to the superintendent of public instruction for a waiver that
allows the school district or public school academy to continue
that existing program instead of implementing the program required
under this section. The superintendent of public instruction may
grant a waiver under this subsection if he or she determines that
the existing program meets the purposes of this section.
(5) A school district or public school academy may contract
with an intermediate school district to provide the program under
this section. Upon request by a constituent district or a public
school academy, an intermediate school district shall provide
technical assistance to the constituent school district or public
school academy in developing and implementing the program under
this section.
(6) The interventions required under this section are to
ensure that all pupils at all grade levels are achieving at least a
level 2 proficiency on the English language arts and mathematics
assessments administered under the Michigan education assessment
program.