Summary

HB 4228 (Open States or Michigan Legislature) appropriates funds for a wide range of education reforms and expansions in digital learning, including course access, expanding ease of access for 957,825 students wishing to enroll in online learning (allowing students to enroll in up to two online courses). It also increases for the Michigan Virtual University and expands its offerings to include professional development and support for at least 500 teachers.

Language was inserted to prevent the funding or implementation of the Common Core State Standards or Smarter Balanced assessments.  Governor Snyder refers to this as a pause to sort through the controversy surrounding the standards.

Legislative Analysis

Online Course Eligibility and Access

Previously, students were required to seek permission from the resident district before enrolling in online courses. This legislation expands eligibility and access, removing that approval process and allowing students in grades 5-12 to enroll in up to two online courses.

While the legislation limits the number of courses to two, the legislature states its intent to consider increasing the limit on the number of online courses that a pupil may enroll in beginning in 2014-2015 for students who have demonstrated previous success with online courses.

State Virtual School Funding

Funding is set for Michigan Virtual University (MVU) at $5 million.

Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute Funding and Research

The legislation appropriates $9.4 million to the Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute to accelerate innovation in education though the following activities:

• Test, evaluate, and recommend new technology-based instructional tools and resources.
• Research, design, and recommend digital education delivery models for use by students and teachers that include age-appropriate multimedia instructional content
• Research, design, and recommend competency-based online assessments.
• Research, develop, and recommend annually to the department criteria by which cyber schools and online course providers should be monitored and evaluated to ensure a quality education.
• Utilize performance data to analyze effectiveness of online learning in preparing students to be college and career ready.  Must deliver a report no later than December 1, 2014.
• Submit a report on the use of professional development from the Michigan Virtual University. The report must also identify barriers and other opportunities to encourage the adoption of digital learning in the public education system, including best practices for planning, implementing, and evaluating online and blended education delivery models.

The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute is also required to:

• Develop and report policy recommendations to the governor and the legislature that accelerate the expansion of effective online learning in this state’s schools.
• Provide a clearinghouse for research reports, academic studies, evaluations, and other information related to online learning.
• Promote and distribute the most current instructional design standards and guidelines for online teaching.
• In collaboration with the department and interested colleges and universities in this state, recommend to the superintendent guidelines and standards for a new teacher endorsement credential related to effective digital learning instruction.
• Pursue public/private partnerships that include districts to study and implement competency-based technology rich online learning models.
• Convene focus groups and conduct annual surveys of teachers, administrators, pupils, parents, and others to identify barriers and opportunities related to online learning.
• Produce an annual consumer awareness report for schools and parents about effective online education providers and education delivery models, performance data, cost structures, and research trends.

Funding

The legislation develops a funding mechanism for the course access program based on the following:

• The district is not required to pay more than 1/12 of the districts’ foundation formula per student per semester or 1/18 of the district’s foundation formula per trimester.
• 80 percent of the funds shall be paid to the course provider upon enrollment with 20 percent awarded upon student completion.

Course Access Catalog

This legislation establishes an online course catalog of all public schools in Michigan. Beginning in 2014-2015, the catalog must include the number of students enrolled in the course in the previous year, the ones who successfully completed the course, and the completion rate for each online course.

The Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute must also identify and develop a list of nationally recognized best practices for online learning and use this list to provide reviews of online course vendors, courses, and instructional practices

Legislative History

House Vote:         Yea= 91   Nays=58   Excused=1   Not Voting=0
Date:                      5/1/2013

Senate Vote:        Yea= 25    Nays=12    Excused=1
Date:                      5/29/2013

Detailed Legislative History: Legiscan | Open States

Signed by Governor Rick Snyder (R) on 6/14/2013