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Posted by waddelk on May 9, 2016 in Class News |

DPS Update

The House of Representatives passed its own package of DPS reforms last week after a marathon 15 hour session that culminated in a series of votes that concluded around 4:00 Thursday morning.

The House package, passed along party lines with Republicans in favor and Democrats teaming with a handful of Republicans in opposition, differs significantly from the bipartisan DPS reform package passed a few weeks earlier by the Senate. The House plan provides $500 million to resolve DPS debt and provide startup funding for a new Detroit Community School District (DCSD), while the Senate plan provided $715 million. Additionally, the House plan does not transfer collective bargaining contracts to the new district and does not include the Detroit Education Commission (DEC) proposed by the Governor and the Senate to bring order to the current chaotic structure of traditional and charter schools throughout the city. The House plan allows hiring of non-certified teachers and will require merit pay for teachers going forward, in addition to requiring principals to reapply for their jobs with the new district. Finally, the House plan pays for the transition to the new district with General Fund revenue, which is somewhat of a concern given the Senate plan utilizes restricted funding from the state tobacco settlement.

The Senate has not indicated a desire to adopt the House reforms, so legislative leaders in each chamber will need to resolve differences before the Legislature adjourns for the summer in mid-June.

K-12 Budgets On the Way to Conference, Revenue Estimating Conference Announced

The Senate and House have passed their respective budgets, and next week will likely send the budgets into conference committees for action after budget targets are set following the May Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference on May 17. Shortly thereafter, legislative leaders will work with the Governor’s Office to determine final levels of funding available for both the upcoming fiscal year and to resolve the current fiscal year, and conference committees will report out final budgets for all areas in state government. The Legislature is on target to finish budget work before they adjourn in mid-June.

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