School aid: other; future educator student teacher stipend program; modify. Amends sec. 27c of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1627c).
Summary
Senate Bill 83 would amend Michigan’s State School Aid Act to continue and modify the MI Future Educator Student Teacher Stipend Program for the 2024-2025 fiscal year. The bill allocates $30 million from the state school aid fund and $20 million from the educator fellowship public provider fund to provide stipends to eligible student teachers placed in Michigan school districts or qualifying publicly funded preschool programs. The money is paid through eligible educator preparation programs, with the goal of helping cover the costs of student teaching while candidates complete teacher certification requirements.
To qualify, a student teacher must be enrolled in an approved educator preparation program, be making satisfactory academic progress, complete the required application, and not be serving as a teacher of record in the placement. The bill also expressly makes current City Year corps members eligible. Payments are capped at up to $9,600 per academic semester per eligible student teacher, and if funding is limited, Pell Grant recipients are prioritized first, followed by other applicants in order received. If the initial appropriation is not enough, the bill authorizes additional money from the educator fellowship public provider fund to fully fund the program.
Impact
The bill would amend section 27c of the State School Aid Act, changing how state school aid and educator fellowship funds are used to support student teacher stipends. It creates or continues a direct financial support mechanism for teacher candidates and establishes administrative rules for the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential, school districts, intermediate districts, preschool programs, and educator preparation programs. It also defines eligible programs and qualifying placements, and requires that funds received by preparation programs or districts be passed through to the student teacher.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong bipartisan support and little controversy. The Senate committee reported the bill favorably without amendment by a 5-0 vote, and the full Senate passed it unanimously 36-0. That pattern indicates broad agreement that the stipend program is a useful way to support teacher recruitment and retention, especially for candidates facing financial barriers during student teaching.
Contention
There is no recorded committee transcript showing substantive debate, so no major points of contention are documented in the provided materials. The main policy choices embedded in the bill are the funding level, the cap on semester stipends, the priority for Pell Grant recipients when funds are limited, and the eligibility rules excluding individuals already serving as teacher of record. The bill also expands eligibility to City Year corps members, which may reflect an effort to broaden the pipeline into teaching, but no opposition to that provision is shown in the record provided.
A bill for an act modifying the responsibilities of school district teachers and other educational staff related to students who have individualized education programs or plans under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act.
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