STRICT DISCIPLINE ACADEMY; SPECIAL ED.                                   S.B. 777 (S-1) & 778:

                                                                                                    SUMMARY OF BILL

                                                                                     REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE

Senate Bill 777 (Substitute S-1 as reported)

Senate Bill 778 (as reported without amendment)

Sponsor:  Senator Aric Nesbitt (S.B. 777)

               Senator Winnie Brinks (S.B. 778)

Committee:  Education and Career Readiness

CONTENT

Senate Bill 777 (S-1) would amend the Revised School Code to do the following:

-- Allow a qualifying strict discipline academy to enroll a pupil who was identified as requiring intense individual intervention designed for pupils with highly accelerated or severe and persistently challenging needs and who satisfied other criteria.

-- Require a pupil's school to conduct an expedited evaluation of a pupil if a request were made for an evaluation to determine whether he or she were eligible for special education and related services while the pupil was subject to a referral to the academy.

-- Require a strict discipline academy to provide special education and related services to an applicable pupil in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and applicable Federal regulations.

-- Specify that the placement of a pupil in a strict discipline academy would be subject to State and Federal special education laws.

-- Define "qualifying strict discipline academy".

Senate Bill 778 would amend the Revised School Code to specify that a strict discipline academy would have to measure pupil progress via the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (i.e., the M-STEP) or the Michigan Merit Examination, as applicable, and to modify Michigan Compiled Laws references to incorporate the changes proposed under Senate Bill 777 (S-1).

The bills are tie-barred.

MCL 380.1311g (S.B. 777)                                            Legislative Analyst:  Dana Adams

       380.1311d (S.B. 778)

FISCAL IMPACT

Senate Bill 777 (S-1) would have no overall fiscal impact on the State but would affect local schools and strict discipline academies. The bill could increase the number of pupils enrolled in strict discipline academies, which would shift funds from the school that originally counted the pupil to the strict discipline academy that enrolled the student. It is currently unknown how many additional pupils might be enrolled in strict discipline academies as a result of the bill.

Senate Bill 778 would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.

Date Completed:  2-24-22                                                    Fiscal Analyst:  Cory Savino

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.