July 2, 2003, Introduced by Reps. Bradstreet, Palmer, Stahl, Hummel, Voorhees, Vander Veen, Moolenaar, Newell, Hager, Kooiman, Ehardt, Caswell, Casperson, Garfield, Tabor, Richardville, Hart, Reeves, Drolet, Hoogendyk, Nitz, Van Regenmorter, Emmons, Murphy and McConico and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending section 1278 (MCL 380.1278), as amended by 1995
PA 289.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
1 Sec. 1278. (1) In addition to the requirements for
2 accreditation under section 1280 specified in that section, if
3 the board of a school district wants all of the schools of the
4 school district to be accredited under section 1280, the board
5 shall provide to all pupils attending public school in the
6 district a core academic curriculum in compliance with subsection
7 (3) in each of the curricular areas specified in the state board
8 recommended model core academic curriculum content standards
9 developed under subsection (2). The state board model core
10 academic curriculum content standards shall encompass academic
1 and cognitive instruction only. For purposes of this section,
2 the state board model core academic curriculum content standards
3 shall not include attitudes, beliefs, or value systems that are
4 not essential in the legal, economic, and social structure of our
5 society and to the personal and social responsibility of citizens
6 of our society.
7 (2) Recommended model core academic curriculum content
8 standards shall be developed and periodically updated by the
9 state board, shall be in the form of knowledge and skill content
10 standards that are recommended as state standards for adoption by
11 public schools in local curriculum formulation and adoption, and
12 shall be distributed to each school district in the state. The
13 recommended model core academic curriculum content standards
14 shall set forth desired learning objectives in math, science,
15 reading, history, geography, economics, American government, and
16 writing for all children
at each stage of schooling; and shall
17 be based upon the "Michigan K-12 program standards of quality" to
18 ensure that high academic standards, academic skills, and
19 academic subject matters are built into the instructional goals
20 of all school districts for all children; and shall comply with
21 subsection (10). The state
board also shall ensure that the
22 Michigan educational
assessment program and the high school
23 proficiency exam are assessments under section 1279 shall be
24 based on the state recommended model core academic curriculum
25 content standards, are
testing shall test only for proficiency
26 in basic academic skills
and academic subject matter, and are
27 not shall not be used to measure pupils' values or
attitudes.
1 (3) The board of each school district, considering academic
2 curricular objectives defined and recommended pursuant to
3 subsection (2), shall do both of the following:
4 (a) Establish a core academic curriculum for its pupils at
5 the elementary, middle, and secondary school levels. The core
6 academic curriculum shall define academic objectives to be
7 achieved by all pupils and shall be based upon the school
8 district's educational mission, long-range pupil goals, and pupil
9 performance objectives. The core academic curriculum may vary
10 from the model core academic curriculum content standards
11 recommended by the state board pursuant to subsection (2).
12 (b) After consulting with teachers and school building
13 administrators, determine the aligned instructional program for
14 delivering the core academic curriculum and identify the courses
15 and programs in which the core academic curriculum will be
16 taught.
17 (4) The board may supplement the core academic curriculum by
18 providing instruction through additional classes and programs.
19 (5) For all pupils, the subjects or courses, and the delivery
20 of those including special assistance, that constitute the
21 curriculum the pupils engage in shall assure the pupils have a
22 realistic opportunity to learn all subjects and courses required
23 by the district's core academic curriculum in order to give all
24 pupils a reasonable
opportunity to attain a state-endorsed
25 diploma state endorsement under section 1279. A
subject or
26 course required by the core academic curriculum pursuant to
27 subsection (3) shall be provided to all pupils in the school
1 district by a school district, a consortium of school districts,
2 or a consortium of 1 or more school districts and 1 or more
3 intermediate school districts.
4 (6) To the extent practicable, the state board may adopt or
5 develop academic objective-oriented high standards for knowledge
6 and life skills, and a recommended core academic curriculum, for
7 special education pupils for whom it may not be realistic or
8 desirable to expect achievement of novice level or initial
9 mastery of the state board recommended model core academic
10 content standards objectives or of a high school diploma.
11 (7) The state board shall make available to all nonpublic
12 schools in this state, as a resource for their consideration, the
13 model core academic curriculum content standards developed for
14 public schools pursuant to subsection (2) for the purpose of
15 assisting the governing body of a nonpublic school in developing
16 its core academic curriculum.
17 (8) Excluding special education pupils, pupils having a
18 learning disability, and pupils with extenuating circumstances as
19 determined by school officials, a pupil who does not score
20 satisfactorily on the 4th or 7th grade Michigan educational
21 assessment program reading test shall be provided special
22 assistance reasonably expected to enable the pupil to bring his
23 or her reading skills to grade level within 12 months.
24 (9) Any course that would have been considered a nonessential
25 elective course under Snyder v Charlotte School Dist, 421 Mich
26 517 (1984), on April 13, 1990 shall continue to be offered to
27 resident pupils of nonpublic schools on a shared time basis.
1 (10) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this
2 subsection, the state board shall revise the recommended model
3 core academic curriculum content standards under subsection (2)
4 as follows:
5 (a) In the science standards, all references to "evolution"
6 and "how species change through time" shall be modified to
7 indicate that this is an unproven theory by adding the phrase
8 "All students will explain the competing theories of evolution
9 and natural selection based on random mutation and the theory
10 that life is the result of the purposeful, intelligent design of
11 a Creator.".
12 (b) In the science standards for middle and high school, all
13 references to "evolution" and "natural selection" shall be
14 modified to indicate that these are unproven theories by adding
15 the phrase "Describe how life may be the result of the
16 purposeful, intelligent design of a Creator.".
17 (c) In the science standards for middle and high school, all
18 references to "evolution" and "natural selection" shall be
19 modified to indicate that these are unproven theories by adding
20 the phrase "Explain the competing theories of evolution and
21 natural selection based on random mutation and the theory that
22 life is the result of the purposeful, intelligent design of a
23 Creator.".