Education: teachers and administrators; instruction and professional development on cultural competency; provide for. Amends 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1 - 380.1852) by adding sec. 1526c.
Summary
Senate Bill 455 would amend Michigan’s Revised School Code to require the Department of Education to develop or adopt cultural competency professional learning resources for schools by June 1, 2027. Those resources must address the value of diversity and student belonging, cultural identity, the historic contributions and perspectives of several racial, ethnic, and religious groups in Michigan and the United States, and implicit bias, with the implicit-bias content developed with expert input.
Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies would be required to ensure that all educators receive cultural competency training using the state resources or comparable local materials. The same requirement would also apply to non-educator school personnel who have contact with pupils, though those staff would not be required to receive the history-focused instruction listed in the bill. The department would also be authorized to make related instructional materials available that align with state social studies standards.
Impact
The bill would add a new section to the Revised School Code and create a statewide framework for cultural competency training in public schools. It would impose new duties on the Department of Education to create or approve training resources and on school governing boards to ensure staff participation, affecting educators and other school personnel in districts, intermediate districts, and public school academies. It would also expand the availability of instructional materials tied to the histories of multiple communities, while leaving local districts some flexibility to use comparable existing resources.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be framed as a professional development and student-belonging initiative rather than a punitive or regulatory change. The inclusion of multiple communities and the focus on diversity, belonging, and implicit bias suggest support from proponents who favor inclusive education and staff training. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented public debate or vote history to indicate broader legislative sentiment.
Contention
The most likely points of contention are the required training on cultural competency and implicit bias, especially the mandate that all educators and certain non-educator staff complete it. Some may also object to the bill’s inclusion of specific racial, ethnic, and religious groups in required instructional content, or to the state’s role in shaping professional learning materials. At the same time, the bill limits the history-content requirement for non-educator staff and allows districts to use comparable local resources, which may be intended to reduce concerns about rigidity or local control.