House committee hears testimony on bill requiring legislative approval for major academic-standard changes

The House Education and Workforce Committee took testimony on House Bill 53 64 (HB 5364), a measure that would require both the Michigan House and Senate to approve material revisions to the state's model core academic standards by concurrent resolution before those revisions could be implemented statewide. Representative Johnson, the bill sponsor, told the committee the measure is a modest check that preserves the State Board of Education's role in recommending standards while ensuring "democratic legitimacy" when standards have de facto binding effect on schools.

William Wagner, a former federal magistrate judge and president emeritus of Salt and Light Global, framed the bill as a separation-of-powers and governance reform, arguing the legislature has authority under Articles 4 and 8 of the Michigan Constitution to determine when recommended standards…