LANSING – While education lobbyists and Michigan House lawmakers still are working behind the scenes on education reforms pertaining to charter schools and teacher performance, the public debate on the legislation Thursday was all about whether state law requiring schools to start after Labor Day should be changed.

The House Education Committee will hear more testimony and vote on HB 5623 next week, but education officials were pleased the latest draft form included a “teacher’s bill of rights,” which would include a process for teachers to file a state claim seeking adequate teacher supplies.

But tourism officials were distraught in the state changing the law requiring a post-Labor Day school start, altered just a few years ago, allowing school districts to decide when classes begin.

Chair Rep. Tim Melton (D-Auburn Hills), bill sponsor, said in order to compete for federal “Race to the Top” funding, the state has to demonstrate it has given locals the flexibility to have provide more instructional hours and eliminating the Labor Day start gets to the heart of the issue.

But Steve Yencich, president of CEO of the Michigan Lodging and Tourism Association, said that measure would devastate an already struggling industry at a time when the state already has cut future tourism promotion funding.

Michigan’s occupancy levels compared to the rest of the country continue to rank dead last, he said, and that would be harmed by allowing locals to choose to start school early as opposed to having classes further into June. Yencich said July and August are the busiest tourism months in the state.

An official from the Michigan’s Adventure theme park also said eliminating the Labor Day would make it harder for the park to stay open without access to employees who are high school students.

The legislation is expected to undergo more revisions as the days go on, but the current draft includes provisions for annual teacher evaluation requirements, requiring charter schools to have contracts based on student performance, increasing the drop-out age and phasing in a start date for 5 year olds, require all-day kindergarten for failing schools and require certifications for administrators.

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As the federal program calls for teachers to be evaluated based on student performance, union groups said there has to be flexibility to show student growth beyond test scores.

“We’re pleased we’re making progress. I don’t know if we are going to get there, but I hope we are,” said MEA lobbyist Dave Stafford.

Melton countered, “I don’t think we have an option of ‘if we get there.'”

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