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Bill

HB 6080

Education: teachers and administrators; certain professional development courses; prohibit. Amends sec. 1248 of 1976 PA 451 (MCL 380.1248).

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Nancy DeBoer

HB 6080 tightens use of graduate-level coursework for pay advances, requiring degree-eligible, letter-graded credits from accredited institutions as eligible for compensation decis

placed on third reading
#education:teachersandadministrators
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Bill Summary · HB 6080

Summary of HB 6080 (Michigan, 2025-2026)

Purpose and intent

  • The bill amends the Revised School Code (section 1248) to tighten how graduate-level coursework can be used as a factor in personnel decisions for teachers.
  • It aims to ensure that graduate coursework counted toward compensation-related advancement meets specific standards (accreditation, official transcripts, and letter-grade grading).

Key provisions and changes

  • Graduate-level coursework eligibility (new criteria):

    • Graduate-level coursework completed by a certificated teacher may count as relevant special training for personnel decisions only if: 1) It is graduate-level degree-eligible credit offered by an institutionally accredited higher education institution and documented on an official academic transcript. 2) It results in a letter grade (courses graded pass/fail, satisfactory/unsatisfactory, or completed/not completed are not eligible unless converted to a letter grade consistent with institutional standards).

  • Definition of relevant terms:

    • “Graduate-level coursework”: Any graduate-level course pursued by a certificated teacher for salary advancement, salary lane change, or other compensation-related advancement under a collective bargaining agreement, district policy, or salary schedule.
    • “Graduate-level degree-eligible credit”: Academic credit that may be applied toward a master’s, education specialist, or doctoral degree.

  • Personnel decision framework (existing and added considerations):

    • The bill reiterates that length of service cannot be the sole factor in:
    • Filling vacancies
    • determining classroom placement
    • staffing or program reductions
    • determining promotions (the bill explicitly adds promotions as a factor where length of service cannot be sole determinant)
    • Clear and transparent procedures for all personnel decisions must be adopted and followed.
    • Effectiveness under the district’s performance evaluation system (per section 1249) or other collectively bargained metrics must be used as a factor in personnel decisions.
    • Other relevant factors may include:
    • Length of service in a grade level or subject area
    • Disciplinary record
    • Relevant specialized training (as defined above)

Who/what is affected

  • Entities: Local school districts, intermediate school districts (ISDs), and public school academies (PSAs).
  • Individuals: Certificated teachers eligible for salary advancement, lane changes, or other compensation-related advancement.
  • Collective bargaining agreements: Must incorporate the standards in section 1248, including the new eligibility criteria for graduate-level coursework.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective guidelines: Districts, PSAs, and ISDs must adopt, implement, and comply with clear procedures for all personnel decisions under section 1248, incorporating performance evaluation effectiveness as a factor.
  • Implementation impact:
    • Districts that previously allowed graduate-level coursework without the new criteria may need to adjust wage advancement policies and bargaining language.
    • Potential administrative costs to update procedures and agreements.
  • Fiscal impact:
    • State impact: None expected.
    • Local impact: Indeterminate; depends on how districts revise policies and whether prohibiting certain coursework or requiring letter-graded, degree-eligible credits changes compensation practices. Possible cost savings if districts previously accepted non-qualifying coursework for advancement.

Additional context

  • The bill was introduced by Rep. Nancy DeBoer and referred to the Education and Workforce Committee. As introduced, it clarifies and tightens the criteria for using graduate-level coursework in compensation decisions and adds promotions to the list of personnel actions where length of service cannot be the sole determinant.

If you’d like, I can extract a side-by-side comparison with current law or provide a concise Q&A for school administrators.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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