Former governor, ex‑senator and sponsor tout bill to allow optional 'innovative programs' in public schools

Representative Dbor told the committee that House Bill 5984, paired with a companion measure, would amend the State School Aid Act and the Revised School Code to create a statutory framework for optional public innovative programs in Michigan schools. The bill would allow the Michigan Department of Education to waive certain code requirements to enable career and technical education, work‑based learning, internships, competency‑based models and similar programs.

Former Governor Rick Snyder described the longstanding "seat time" model rooted in 1906 as a constraint on innovation and urged the committee to allow districts that have local buy‑in to pilot alternative instructional models. Snyder cited a slide he said reported "70% of high school seniors are disengaged" and noted an existing "Future of Learning" council with roughly 85 participating districts already experimenting with new approaches.

Former state senator Doug Ross and other witnesses framed the proposal as bipartisan and emphasized that implementing districts must secure local sign‑off from school boards, unions and parents before launching an innovative program. Committee members asked whether the bill changes accountability or testing; witnesses said the measure does not alter statewide accountability metrics or core standards but creates flexibility in how districts deliver instruction.

Supporters asked the Rules Committee to report the bill favorably so the full House can consider it. No formal vote on the bill was recorded in this session of the Rules Committee.