Policy Updates

Michigan:
Latest Policy Updates
 
  • — Governor Rick Snyder signs legislation lifting the state’s charter school cap. SB 618 passed the state senate 22-16, and phases out number and location limits on charter schools authorized by public universities. This bill also provides some relief on charter property taxes and gives all charter teachers freedom from collective bargaining. Michigan’s charter law is already above average because of its strong university authorizing system, but these updates would make the Wolverine State more attractive to charter operators..
  • — Michigan enacted a law, which states that public employers can only pay up to 80% of employees’ health insurance premiums. Teacher unions and their leaders feel they are being attacked unfairly. Looking at the data, public employees are only covering about 10-15% of their medical benefits, while private sector employees are responsible for 21-27% of their costs. Governor Rick Snyder signed the law saying it is “a fair and equitable approach that brings public employee benefits more in line with the private sector.”

Virginia:
Latest Policy Updates
 
The House of Delegates votes to end tenure-related job protections for teachers.

Tennessee:
Latest Policy Updates
 
The pending opportunity scholarship legislation was blocked by Tennessee’s governor and likely won’t be revisited until fall 2012 or early 2013. Governor Haslam is instead creating a task force to study the issue and make new recommendations about how opportunity scholarships should work. This legislation passed the Senate earlier this year, but failed in the House and districts where school choice would’ve been an option for low-income students passed their own resolutions opposing the bill. Governor Haslam said of his decision, “We should offer alternatives to low-income students and their parents who may feel stuck in failing schools. Charter schools have been a significant part of that process, and it is appropriate to explore additional opportunities.”

Pennsylvania:
Latest Policy Updates
 
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives failed to pass critical school choice legislation approved earlier in 2011 by the State Senate. SB 1 would have made big strides in improving the state’s education system by expanding the tax credit program, creating a new opportunity scholarship program, and improving the charter school law by adding additional independent authorizers.

Minnesota:
Latest Policy Updates
 
  • — State Senate passes teacher tenure reform 36-26. The legislation scraps the infamous last-in, first-out process and bases teacher layoffs on performance. The Senate version of the bill differs from legislation already passed in the MN House. The version passed in the Senate prohibits districts from making layoffs based on financial decisions, and also protects “new, probationary teachers from being automatically targeted for layoffs.”
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  • — Governor Mark Dayton signs new rules on teacher testing into law. Minnesota teachers must now pass a basic skills test before entering the classroom. Under the old rule, teachers that did not pass were granted a provisional three-year license, allowing them to teach students while working toward a passing score.