Michigan School Age Licensing
1. Presenting Problems
- The exemption from licensure allowed by the 2003 amendment to 1973 PA 116 applied only to school age programs operated by public schools.
- Non-public schools and private centers with school-age programs were not afforded the same opportunity to apply for exemption from licensure.
- Once exempted from licensure, there was no further oversight by any state agency when parents had complaints about care provided.
- Confusion within the community over what types of school age programs required licensure under 1973 PA 116.
- State agencies and resource/referral agencies lost the ability to track the number of school age programs operating in Michigan.
2. Action steps
- Workgroup of statewide school age program advocates formed and met from Feb 2005 – May 2005.
- Revisions to the school age waiver language in 1973 PA 116 drafted by this workgroup.
- Individual workgroup members advocated for revisions to the statute with lawmakers.
- Bill introduced in August, 2005; amended language took effect November, 2005.
3. Specific changes made
- Identified programs that do not require licensure:
- “Supervised, school age child-focused training in a specific subject” such as dancing, drama, music, or religion
- Programs “primarily an incident of group athletic or social activities for school age children sponsored by or under the supervision of an organized club or hobby group…”
- Programs no longer apply to be exempt from licensure, but exempt from licensing inspections.
- Programs must comply with child care center rules, and must submit annual self-certifying statements confirming compliance with rules.
- Programs are subject to special investigations by licensing when rule/act violations are alleged.
- School-age child defined in statute as “eligible to be enrolled in a grade of kindergarten or above, but is less than 13 years of age.”
- Newly promulgated center rules (December, 2006) address specific concerns raised by the school-age workgroup.
4. Lessons learned
- Input from all affected parties will produce results more acceptable to all affected parties (MI’s 2003 legislation was a response to school district concerns).
- It’s not possible to identify all possible exceptions to licensing in legislation (any list of programs not requiring licensure will be incomplete!).
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