On September 15, 2014, MERC again ruled that insisting on a prohibited subject at the bargaining table violates PERA and constitutes an unfair labor practice. Calhoun Intermediate Ed Ass’n, Case No CU12 B-009 (September 15, 2014). This case was handled by Thrun Law Firm and serves as an important road map for bargaining after the 2011 amendments to PERA.
More than two years ago, Calhoun Intermediate School District (“ISD”) engaged in negotiations with the Calhoun...
A Tenure Commission ALJ recently ordered Flint Community Schools to reinstate teacher Beth Casucci, finding that the District’s decision to terminate her employment violated the Teachers’ Tenure Act. Casucci v Flint Cmty Schs (PDO 13-54).
The school’s file indicated that Casucci’s teaching certificate would expire on June 30, 2013. In November 2012 and February 2013, the school sent Casucci warning letters that her teaching certificate...
The Michigan Employment Relations Commission recently ruled that a township violated Public Employment Relations Act (“PERA”) when it refused to bargain over the calculation method and total amount of the employee contributions related to its implementation of the “80/20” cost-sharing arrangement used to comply...
The Michigan Department of Education has announced the new threshold amount at which local schools, intermediate school districts, and public school academies must competitively bid: (1) labor and materials for construction projects under Revised School Code Section 1267; and (2) the purchase of supplies, mate...
In a memorandum dated July 10, 2014, the Michigan Department of Education (“MDE”) expressed concern that some schools are circumventing the certification requirements of sections 1246 and 1536 of the Revised School Code by hiring or contracting with “temporary” or “interim” school administrators.
Section 1246 of the Revised...
The Michigan Employment Relations Commission (“MERC”) recently adopted (in the absence of an appeal) an Administrative Law Judge’s (“ALJ”) ruling that a public employer’s refusal to bargain over the “impact” of implementing Public Act 54 of 2011 (“PA 54”) violated the Michigan Public Employment Relations Act (“PERA”). City of...
On July 24, 2014, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) issued revised guidance on budget transparency to include changes required by the fiscal year 2014-15 Education Omnibus Appropriation Bill (PA 196 of 2014). The guidance document is available at www.thrunlaw.com/links.
The 2014-2015 Education Omnibus Appropriation Bill made a number of amendments to various provisions of the State School...
As we reported in the March 27, 2014 edition of School Law Notes, Public Act 12 of 2014 (the “Act”) modified the frequency and recording requirements of Michigan school safety drills. The Act became effective on July 1, 2014.
Under these new requirements, by September 15 of each school year, the chief administrator (or designee) of a school building that operates any of grades kindergarten to 12 must provide a list of the school buildings’ scheduled drill days to the County...
On June 24, 2014, Governor Synder signed the State School Aid Budget (2014 PA 196), which increases funding for the state’s K-12 schools, community colleges, and universities.
For the 2014-2015 school year, all school districts will receive at least $7,251 for their foundation allowance, which includes a one-time equity...
As a new school year approaches and students begin participating in interscholastic athletics, it is important to emphasize that the Revised School Code prohibits the use of performance-enhancing substances by student-athletes and provides certain steps that school officials must take to discourage student athletes from using them.
Since 2006, Section 1318 of the Revised School Code has required school districts to “ensure that its policies concerning a pupil’s eligibility for...