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LANSING, Mich. - A single individual could serve concurrently as superintendent of a local public school district and an intermediate school district under legislation proposed recently in the Michigan House of Representatives, according to the Michigan Information & Research Service Inc.
State Rep. Mike Lahti, D-Hancock, said the bills would expand the shared school services already allowed under state law, according to MIRS. An intermediate school district in Lahti's legislative district spurred the idea after it began sharing a business manager with another district, but was barred from sharing a superintendent, MIRS reported.
House Bills 6008, 6009 and 6010 are sponsored by Lahti and Rep. Terry Brown, D-Pigeon, and have been referred to the House Education Committee.
The Michigan Association of School Administrators supports the proposal, Brad Biladeau, legislative liaison, told MIRS.
Biladeau and Lahti said rural school districts would be most likely to share a superintendent with an intermediate district, MIRS reported. Brown and Biladeau cited cost savings and fewer qualified superintendents in the job market as reasons for the proposal, according to MIRS.
SOURCE:
Michigan Information & Research Service, Inc., "Districts to Share
Superintendents?" April 9-10, 2010 (Subscription required)
FURTHER READING:
Michigan Votes, "Let ISD Superintendent also be Regular
School Superintendent," March 25, 2010
www.michiganvotes.org/2010-HB-6008
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