Full Statutory Language

Sec. 30c. (1) From the state school aid fund money appropriated in section 11, there is allocated for 2022-2023 only an amount not to exceed $15,000,000.00 to districts for implementation of the troops-to-teachers initiative as described in this section.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, to receive funding under this section, a district must apply for the funding in a form and manner prescribed by the department. In its application described in this subsection, a district must include all of the following:

(a) A pledge that it will pay each qualified troops-to-teachers member described in subsection (3)(b) the salary required under subsection (3)(b).

(b) A pledge that it will pay each qualified troops-to-teachers member it hires as described in subsection (3)(e) the salary required under subsection (3)(e).

(c) A spending plan for its use of funding received under this section that must include plans to phase down the usage of funding under this section for the implementation of the troops-to-teachers initiative described in this section in a manner ensuring that the district will fully fund the initiative without funding under this section by September 30, 2027.

(d) A pledge that the district will continue to pay qualified troops-to-teachers members described in subsection (3)(b) and (e) a salary, as described in subsection (3)(b) or (e), as applicable, after September 30, 2027.

(3) A district that receives funding under this section shall use the funding for only the following reasons:

(a) The implementation of a mentorship training program that must include, at a minimum, phase 1 and 2 mentorship training provided to qualified troops-to-teachers members. The phases of mentorship training described in this subdivision must meet the following criteria:

(i) All of the following apply to phase 1 mentorship training described in this subdivision:

(A) It must be for a duration of 1 semester.

(B) It must include a process through which a qualified troops-to-teachers member serves as a student teacher at a school operated by the district while shadowing a mentor teacher during the duration of the training. To the extent possible, a qualified troops-to-teachers member who has interest in teaching in a certain subject or grade level must be paired under this sub-subparagraph with a mentor teacher who teaches in the applicable subject or grade level.

(C) After the qualified troops-to-teachers member has completed 1 semester of student teaching as described in sub-subparagraph (B), the mentor teacher he or she was paired with as described in sub-subparagraph (B) shall either approve or disapprove his or her completion of phase 1 mentorship training and recommend or not recommend his or her deployment into teaching in classrooms and certification. A qualified troops-to-teachers member is not considered to have completed phase 1 mentorship training under this subparagraph unless his or her mentor teacher has approved the completion as described in this sub-subparagraph.

(ii) All of the following apply to phase 2 mentorship training described in this subdivision:

(A) It must be open to only qualified troops-to-teachers members who have completed 1 semester of student teaching as described in subparagraph (i)(B), but who were disapproved for completion of phase 1 mentorship training under subparagraph (i)(C).

(B) It must be for a duration of 1 semester.

(C) It must include a process through which a qualified troops-to-teachers member serves as a student teacher at a school operated by the district while shadowing a mentor teacher during the duration of the training. To the extent possible, a qualified troops-to-teachers member who has interest in teaching in a certain subject or grade level must be paired under this sub-subparagraph with a mentor teacher who teaches in the applicable subject or grade level.

(D) After the qualified troops-to-teachers member has completed 1 semester of student teaching as described in sub-subparagraph (C), the mentor teacher he or she was paired with as described in sub-subparagraph (C) shall either approve or disapprove his or her completion of phase 2 mentorship training and recommend or not recommend his or her deployment into teaching in classrooms and certification. A qualified troops-to-teachers member is not considered to have completed phase 2 mentorship training under this subparagraph unless his or her mentor teacher has approved the completion as described in this sub-subparagraph.

(b) The payment of a salary for each qualified troops-to-teachers member for his or her completion of 1 semester of student teaching as part of part 1 or 2 mentorship training described in this subsection, whether or not he or she is approved for completion of phase 1 or 2 mentorship training as described in this subsection, in an amount that equals the starting teacher salary in the district. This subdivision does not limit, if in compliance with other laws, the district from providing additional compensation to a qualified troops-to-teachers member described in this subdivision.

(c) The payment of costs and fees associated with completion of each subject area examination for each subject area in which a qualified troops-to-teachers member applies to be certified for a qualified troops-to-teachers member who has completed phase 1 or 2 mentorship training as described in this subsection.

(d) The hiring of support staff to implement the troops-to-teachers initiative described in this section.

(e) The hiring, as teachers, of qualified troops-to-teachers members who completed the phase 1 or 2 mentorship training as described in this subsection and obtained teacher certification and the payment to those qualified troops-to-teachers members of a salary that equals, at a minimum, either of the following, as applicable:

(i) For the qualified troops-to-teachers member’s first year of employment as a teacher, either of the following, as applicable:

(A) If the highest yearly salary the qualified troops-to-teachers member received in the military is higher than the starting teacher salary in the district, the sum of a starting teacher salary in the district and 50% of the difference between the highest yearly salary the qualified troops-to-teachers member received in the military and the starting teacher salary in the district. However, the amount described in this sub-subparagraph must not exceed the highest teacher salary in the district. For a qualified troops-to-teachers member described in this sub-subparagraph, only 50% of the difference between the highest yearly salary the qualified troops-to-teachers member received in the military and the starting teacher salary described in this sub-subparagraph may be paid for from money received under this section and the other portion of the salary described in this sub-subparagraph must be paid by the district from funds other than funds received under this section.

(B) If the highest yearly salary the qualified troops-to-teachers member received in the military is lower than the starting teacher salary in the district, the starting teacher salary in the district. The entirety of a salary described in this sub-subparagraph must be paid by the district from funds other than funds received under this section.

(ii) For the qualified troops-to-teachers member’s employment as a teacher following the member’s first year of employment, the criteria and requirements under subparagraphs (i) and (ii) apply, but the salary must account for any teacher salary increases in the district and the district must incorporate its plan to phase down the usage of funding under this section as submitted in its application under subsection (2), ensuring that 100% of a member’s salary is paid from funding other than funding received under this section by September 30, 2027.

(f) Any other fees or costs associated with the implementation of the troops-to-teachers initiative described in this section, as determined by the department.

(4) The department must provide an annual report to the house and senate appropriations subcommittees on school aid, the house and senate fiscal agencies, and the state budget director on the troops-to-teachers initiative under this section, including the number of qualified troops-to-teachers members who were hired as certificated teachers in each district that received funding under this section.

(5) Funds allocated under this section for 2022-2023 are a work project appropriation, and any unexpended funds for 2022-2023 are carried forward into 2023-2024. The purpose of the work project is to continue the troops-to-teachers initiative as described in this section. The estimated completion date of the work project is September 30, 2027.

(6) As used in this section:

(a) “Mentor teacher” means a certificated teacher who has served as a certificated teacher for 5 or more school years.

(b) “Qualified troops-to-teachers member” means an individual to whom both of the following apply:

(i) The individual is a veteran. As used in this subparagraph, “veteran” means that term as defined in section 1of 1965 PA 160, MCL 35.61.

(ii) The individual has been awarded a bachelor’s degree from a public or private university.