SENATE BILL NO. 1096

June 23, 2022, Introduced by Senators CHANG, POLEHANKI, WOJNO, GEISS, MCMORROW, SANTANA, MOSS, MCCANN, HERTEL, BAYER, BRINKS, MCBROOM and IRWIN and referred to the Committee on Education and Career Readiness.

"The state school aid act of 1979,"

(MCL 388.1601 to 388.1896) by adding section 81a.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 81a. (1) From the state school aid fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated for 2021-2022 an amount not to exceed $50,000,000.00 and there is allocated for 2022-2023 an amount not to exceed $50,000,000.00 for the purposes of this section. Programs funded under this section are intended to expand support for new teachers, improve their instructional practices, and improve teacher retention.

(2) From the allocation under subsection (1), the department shall partner with educator preparation programs provided by public institutions of higher education, districts, or districts in partnership with an institution of higher education or an alternative educator preparation program to provide coaching and a cohort system of support to students in educator preparation programs and new teachers. The services described in this subsection must be free and must continue to be available for at least the first 3 years of a teacher's service. The partnership described in this subsection is intended to create a robust support system for new teachers. A cohort system of support described in this subsection must provide both of the following:

(a) Provide new teachers with professional connections to similarly experienced teachers who face many of the same challenges when beginning their profession.

(b) Provide coaches or mentors who are experts in the field of education to new teachers who can offer guidance on complex issues and subsequently share that expertise with new teachers.

(3) From the allocation under subsection (1), the department shall provide grants for mentor stipends to support and retain quality teachers in this state. Districts are eligible to receive grants under this subsection and may use the funding for any of the following allowable expenditures:

(a) Stipends for veteran teachers who serve as mentor teachers.

(b) Training for mentor teachers.

(c) Books, materials, professional learning expenses, and other resources necessary for mentoring and onboarding new teachers.

(d) Staffing costs to cover time spent by both new and mentor teachers dedicated to mentoring and onboarding rather than being in the classroom.