2011 House Bill 4625 / Public Act 101

Teacher tenure reform

Introduced in the House

May 10, 2011

Introduced by Rep. Bill Rogers (R-66)

To revise the standards for granting a public school teacher “tenure,” and streamline the procedures for taking it away. Among other things the bill would extend from four years to five years the "probationary" period before a new teacher is granted this privilege; allow the dismissal of a probationary teacher at any time, and require it for one rated “ineffective” twice in one school year or two years in a row; eliminate certain automatic presumptions that a teacher is “effective;” limit the number of “second chances” (and third ones) for teachers placed on probation; and more. For more details see House Fiscal Agency <A href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/billanalysis/House/htm/2011-HLA-4625-3.htm">analysis</A>. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4625 to 4628.

Referred to the Committee on Education

May 19, 2011

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-4) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

June 8, 2011

Substitute offered

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises various details, but does not change its substance. This version was defeated in favor of another substitute with more changes.

The substitute failed by voice vote

Substitute offered by Rep. Bill Rogers (R-66)

To replace the previous version of the bill with one that revises details but does not change the substance as previously described.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. David Rutledge (D-54)

To reduce from 60 to 15 days before the end of the school year the deadline before which a school district is required to notify a "probationary" teacher that he or she will be rated "effective" or not, rather than eliminating the requirement altogether.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Tim Melton (D-29)

To not require another "probationary" period for a teacher rated "ineffective" in a single annual job performnance review, but instead only require this if the teacher gets the bad rating twice.

The amendment passed by voice vote

Amendment offered by Rep. Kate Segal (D-62)

To eliminate the tie-bar of the bill to House Bill 4628, which prohibits this bill from becoming law unless that one does also. HB 4628 would prohibit teacher unions from bargaining over staffing decisions, including assignments, promotions, demotions, transfers, layoffs, methods for assessing “effectiveness,” discipline and merit pay systems.

The amendment failed 47 to 62 (details)

Substitute offered by Rep. Lisa Brown (D-39)

To strip out all the substantive changes the bill would make to the "tenure" process, except for certain changes in the timetables related to the process.

The substitute failed 47 to 62 (details)

June 9, 2011

Passed in the House 70 to 37 (details)

To revise the standards for granting a public school teacher “tenure,” and streamline the procedures for taking it away. Among other things the bill would extend from four years to five years the "probationary" period before a new teacher is granted this privilege; allow the dismissal of a probationary teacher at any time and require dismissal if rated “ineffective” two years in a row; limit the number of “second chances” (and third ones) for tenured teachers placed back on probation; and more. For more details see House Fiscal Agency <A href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/billanalysis/House/htm/2011-HLA-4625-3.htm">analysis</A>. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4625 to 4628.

Received in the Senate

June 14, 2011

Referred to the Committee on Education

June 28, 2011

Reported without amendment

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

June 30, 2011

Substitute offered

To adopt a version that, unlike the House one, does not require the dismissal of a probationary teacher who is rated “ineffective” two years in a row, or the dismissal of a "tenured" teacher who is placed back on "probation" for ineffectiveness and then fails two more times in a row.

The substitute passed by voice vote

Substitute offered by Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-8)

To adopt a version that does not revise tenure conditions themselves, but does accelerate timetables for resolving disputes.

The substitute failed 13 to 25 (details)

Passed in the Senate 25 to 13 (details)

To revise the standards for granting a public school teacher “tenure,” and streamline the procedures for taking it away. Among other things the bill would extend from four years to five years the "probationary" period before a new teacher is granted this privilege; allow but not require the dismissal of a probationary teacher at any time, and make various procedural changes. For more details see Senate Fiscal Agency <A href="http://www.legislature.mi.gov/documents/2011-2012/billanalysis/Senate/htm/2011-SFA-4625-A.htm">analysis</A>. This is part of a package comprised of House Bills 4625 to 4628.

Received in the House

June 30, 2011

Amendment offered by Rep. Lisa Brown (D-39)

To eliminate the tie-bar of the bill to House Bill 4628, which prohibits this bill from becoming law unless that one does also. HB 4628 would the teachers union from bargaining over staffing decisions, including assignments, promotions, demotions, transfers, layoffs, methods for assessing “effectiveness,” discipline and merit pay systems, meaning it could not place obstacles in the way of a school district instituting these measures.

The amendment failed by voice vote

Passed in the House 66 to 42 (details)

To concur with the Senate-passed version of the bill.

Signed by Gov. Rick Snyder

July 19, 2011