Sec. 35a.
(1) From the appropriations in section 11, there is allocated for 2015-2016 for the purposes of this section an amount not to exceed $23,900,000.00 from the state school aid fund appropriation and an amount not to exceed $1,500,000.00 from the general fund appropriation.
(2) From the allocations under subsection (1), there is allocated an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 for 2015-2016 for the purpose of conducting parent education pilot programs for parents of children less than 4 years of age so that children are developmentally ready to succeed in school at the time of school entry. All of the following apply to programs funded under this subsection:
(a) The department shall develop a competitive application process and method of grant distribution consistent with the provisions of this subsection. The amount of a grant award to a pilot program shall be an amount equal to the number of children residing in the district or consortium of districts operating the program who are younger than 4 years of age as of the date specified for determining a child's eligibility to attend school under section 1147 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1147, multiplied by $120.00 per child or $130,000.00, whichever is less. The department shall ensure that grants are awarded in each prosperity region or subregion.
(b) An application for a competitive grant under this subsection shall be submitted by an intermediate district on behalf of a district or consortium of districts within the intermediate district. The application shall be submitted in a form and manner approved by the department and shall contain at least the following components:
(i) A description of the program design including the names of the district or consortium of districts that will operate the program, the physical location of the program, and the anticipated number of families that will be served.
(ii) An assurance that the program will be supervised by a teacher who has a valid teaching certificate with an early childhood (ZA or ZS) endorsement, a valid teaching certificate in career education with both a KH and VH endorsement, a bachelor's degree in child development or early child development, or a bachelor's degree related to adult learning.
(iii) An estimate of the number of families residing in the district or consortium of districts that will operate the pilot program that have at least 1 child less than 4 years of age as of the date specified for determining a child's eligibility to attend school under section 1147 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1147.
(iv) A description of the public awareness and outreach efforts that will be made.
(v) An assurance that the intermediate district and the district or consortium of districts operating the program will provide information in a form and manner as approved by the department to allow for an evaluation of the pilot projects.
(vi) A description of the sliding fee scale that will be established for tuition, with fees reduced or waived for those unable to pay.
(vii) A budget for the program. A program may use not more than 5% of a grant to administer the program.
(c) To be eligible for a grant under this subsection, a program shall provide at least 2 hours per week throughout the school year for parents and their eligible children to participate in parent education programs and meet at least the following minimum requirements:
(i) Require that parents be physically present in classes with their children or be in concurrent classes.
(ii) Use research-based information to educate parents about the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children.
(iii) Provide structured learning activities requiring interaction between children and their parents.
(iv) Provide structured learning activities for children that promote positive interaction with their peers.
(d) For a child to be eligible to participate in a program under this subsection, the child shall be less than 4 years of age as of the date specified for determining a child's eligibility to attend school under section 1147 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1147.
(3) From the allocations under subsection (1), there is allocated an amount not to exceed $950,000.00 for 2015-2016 for professional development purposes under this subsection. This allocation represents the first of 2 years of funding for the purposes of this subsection. All of the following apply to funding under this subsection:
(a) The department shall award grants to districts to support professional development for educators in a department-approved research-based training program related to current state literacy standards for pupils in grades K to 3. The professional development shall also include training in the use of screening and diagnostic tools, progress monitoring, and intervention methods used to address barriers to learning and delays in learning that are diagnosed through the use of these tools. The department shall determine the amount of the grant awards.
(b) In addition to other methods of professional development delivery, the department shall collaborate with the Michigan Virtual University to provide this training online to all educators of pupils in grades K to 3.
(c) The funds allocated under this subsection are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2015-2016 are carried forward into 2016-2017. The purpose of the work project is to continue to implement the professional development training described in this subsection. The estimated completion date of the work project is September 30, 2017.
(4) From the allocations under subsection (1), there is allocated an amount not to exceed $1,450,000.00 for 2015-2016 for grants under this subsection. This allocation represents the first of 2 years of funding. All of the following apply to grants under this subsection:
(a) The department shall award grants to districts to administer department-approved screening and diagnostic tools to monitor the development of early literacy and early reading skills of pupils in grades K to 3 and to support research-based professional development for educators in administering screening and diagnostic tools and in data interpretation of the results obtained through the use of those tools for the purpose of implementing a multi-tiered system of support to improve reading proficiency among pupils in grades K to 3. The department shall award grants to eligible districts in an amount determined by the department.
(b) In addition to other methods of professional development delivery, the department shall collaborate with the Michigan Virtual University to provide this training online to all educators of pupils in grades K to 3.
(c) The funds allocated under this subsection are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2015-2016 are carried forward into 2016-2017. The purpose of the work project is to continue to implement the professional development training described in this subsection. The estimated completion date of the work project is September 30, 2017.
(5) From the allocations under subsection (1), there is allocated an amount not to exceed $3,000,000.00 for the purpose of providing early literacy coaches at intermediate districts to assist teachers in developing and implementing instructional strategies for pupils in grades K to 3 so that pupils are reading at grade level by the end of grade 3. All of the following apply to funding under this subsection:
(a) The department shall develop an application process consistent with the provisions of this subsection. An application shall provide assurances that literacy coaches funded under this subsection are knowledgeable about at least the following:
(i) Current state literacy standards for pupils in grades K to 3.
(ii) Implementing an instructional delivery model based on frequent use of formative, screening, and diagnostic tools, known as a multi-tiered system of support, to determine individual progress for pupils in grades K to 3 so that pupils are reading at grade level by the end of grade 3.
(iii) The use of data from diagnostic tools to determine the necessary additional supports and interventions needed by individual pupils in grades K to 3 in order to be reading at grade level.
(b) From the allocation under this subsection, the department shall award grants to intermediate districts for the support of early literacy coaches. An intermediate district must provide matching funds for at least 50% of the cost of the literacy coach. The department shall provide this funding in the following manner:
(i) Each intermediate district shall be awarded grant funding to support the cost of 1 early literacy coach in an equal amount per early literacy coach, not to exceed $37,500.00.
(ii) After distribution of the grant funding under subparagraph (i), the department shall distribute the remainder of grant funding for additional early literacy coaches in an amount not to exceed $37,500.00 per early literacy coach. The number of funded early literacy coaches for each intermediate district shall be based on the percentage of the total statewide number of pupils in grades K to 3 who meet the income eligibility standards for the federal free and reduced-price lunch programs who are enrolled in districts in the intermediate district. For each additional early literacy coach funded under this subparagraph, the department shall not make an award to an intermediate district under this subparagraph in an amount that is less than the amount necessary to pay 1/2 of the total cost of that additional early literacy coach.
(c) The funds allocated under this subsection are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2015-2016 are carried forward into 2016-2017. The purpose of the work project is to continue to provide early literacy coaches as described in this subsection. The estimated completion date of the work project is September 30, 2017.
(6) From the allocations under subsection (1), there is allocated an amount not to exceed $17,500,000.00 for 2015-2016 to districts that provide additional instructional time to those pupils in grades K to 3 who have been identified by using department-approved screening and diagnostic tools as needing additional supports and interventions in order to be reading at grade level by the end of grade 3. Additional instructional time may be provided before, during, and after regular school hours or as part of a year-round balanced school calendar. All of the following apply to funding under this subsection:
(a) In order to be eligible to receive funding, a district shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the department that the district has done all of the following:
(i) Implemented a multi-tiered system of support instructional delivery model that is an evidence-based model that uses data-driven problem solving to integrate academic and behavioral instruction and that uses intervention delivered to all pupils in varying intensities based on pupil needs. The multi-tiered system of supports must provide at least all of the following essential elements:
(A) Implements effective instruction for all learners.
(B) Intervenes early.
(C) Provides a multi-tiered model of instruction and intervention that provides the following: a core curriculum and classroom interventions available to all pupils that meet the needs of most pupils; targeted group interventions; and intense individual interventions.
(D) Monitors pupil progress to inform instruction.
(E) Uses data to make instructional decisions.
(F) Uses assessments including universal screening, diagnostics, and progress monitoring.
(G) Engages families and the community.
(H) Implements evidence-based, scientifically validated, instruction and intervention.
(I) Implements instruction and intervention practices with fidelity.
(J) Uses a collaborative problem-solving model.
(ii) Used department-approved research-based diagnostic tools to identify individual pupils in need of additional instructional time.
(iii) Used a reading instruction method that focuses on the 5 fundamental building blocks of reading: phonics, phonemic awareness, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension and content knowledge.
(iv) Provided teachers of pupils in grades K to 3 with research-based professional development in diagnostic data interpretation.
(b) Funding allocated under this subsection shall be distributed to eligible districts by multiplying the number of full-time-equivalent pupils in grade 1 in the district by $165.00.
(c) If the funds allocated under this subsection are insufficient to fully fund the payments under this subsection, payments under this subsection shall be prorated on an equal per-pupil basis based on grade 1 pupils.
(7) From the general fund money allocated in subsection (1), the department shall allocate the amount of $1,000,000.00 for 2015-2016 to the Michigan Education Corps. All of the following apply to funding under this subsection:
(a) By August 1, 2016, the Michigan Education Corps shall provide a report concerning its use of the funding to the senate and house appropriations subcommittees on state school aid, the senate and house fiscal agencies, and the senate and house caucus policy offices on outcomes and performance measures of the Michigan Education Corps, including, but not limited to, the degree to which the Michigan Education Corps's replication of the Michigan Reading Corps program is demonstrating sufficient efficacy and impact. The report must include data pertaining to at least all of the following:
(i) The current impact of the Michigan Reading Corps on this state in terms of numbers of children and programs receiving support. This portion of the report shall specify the number of children tutored, including dosage and completion, and the demographics of those children.
(ii) Whether the assessments and interventions are implemented with fidelity. This portion of the report shall include details on the total number of assessments and interventions completed and the range, median, mean, and standard deviation for all assessments.
(iii) Whether the literacy improvement of children participating in the Michigan Reading Corps is consistent with expectations. This portion of the report shall detail at least all of the following:
(A) Growth rate by grade level, in comparison to targeted growth rate.
(B) Average linear growth rates.
(C) Exit rates.
(D) Percentage of children who exit who also meet or exceed spring benchmarks.
(iv) The impact of the Michigan Reading Corps on organizations and stakeholders, including, but not limited to, school administrators, internal coaches, and AmeriCorps members.
(b) If the department determines that the Michigan Education Corps has misused the funds allocated under this subsection, the Michigan Education Corps shall reimburse this state for the amount of state funding misused.
(8) From the general fund money allocated under subsection (1), there is allocated to the department an amount not to exceed $500,000.00 for 2015-2016 for the adoption of a certification test to ensure that all newly certificated elementary teachers have the skills to deliver evidence-based literacy instruction.
History: Add. 2015, Act 85, Eff. Oct. 1, 2015
Last modified: October 10, 2016