Legislative Priorities | Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators

Emphasizing flexibility at the local level when appropriate and opposing the imposition of overly restrictive mandates, such as the current prohibition on starting school before Labor Day.
Opposing legislation that would impose overly rigid requirements on curriculum, staffing, or operations.

Revising teacher certification law to streamline the process and to entice more educators to enter the profession.
- Increase flexibility and provide more options to become certified, with less red tape.
- Increase ability of ISD’s to provide preparation in high need areas, such as special education.
Supporting efforts to increase educator wages to allow school districts to attract and retain qualified educators to their districts.
- Consider the use of unfunded mandates and its impact on individual school districts general funds and the ability to increase wages for educators.
Strengthen the entirety of educator benefit packages to retain and recruit educators into the profession.

Support the development, deployment, and investments in broadband to unserved and underserved areas.
- Legislation to reduce the connectivity gap for students and school staff and which promotes broadband affordability.
- Increase investment in areas lacking existing broadband structures.
Improve cybersecurity in public school districts
Support technology and infrastructure sharing and coordination between neighboring school districts.
Oppose efforts to consolidate school districts without approval from impacted communities.
Increase transportation funding to account for rising costs and distances school districts need to travel to get students to school.

BUDGET PRIORITIES FY 2025-2026

Protect revenue going into the School Aid Fund and any effort to protect the revenue to ensure school districts receive adequate and on-going funding. School Aid Fund revenue belongs in the classroom.
Develop new School Aid fund revenue to account for increases in services the Legislature is now requiring of schools.
Safeguard the MPSERS rate reduction in statute and protect School Aid Fund revenue to ensure it remains dedicated to K-12 education and is not diverted to fund noneducational priorities.
Annual inflationary increases to the per-pupil foundation allowance and advocates for adequate funding levels for school district’s operational costs.
Formula to offset the increases to employee healthcare costs due to the recent legislative changes of PA 152.

Eliminate or reduce the prevalence of competitive grants in the appropriation process to simplify funding access.
Decrease the number of categorical funding streams in the School Aid Fund to provide greater flexibility for school districts to allocate resources based on local needs.

Protect and increase funding related to mental health, particularly 31aa.
Improve school safety, ensure that new policies are adequately funded, and provide uniform options and flexibility to school districts.

Increase the special education reimbursement rate and appropriations to create an adequate and equitable special education system.
Increase funding to provide resources and support for At-Risk students.

Click here to download a PDF of the LegislativePriorites 25-26.