In December 2008, Public Act 316 (Senate Bill 834) was signed into law, detailing several changes to the original Michigan Merit Curriculum requirements. This bill, combined with additional clarification of certain sections of the original legislation (380.1278b) regarding the personal curriculum, has necessitated some revisions to the original Michigan Department of Education personal curriculum guidelines.

These revisions include:

• School personnel may initiate a request for a personal curriculum for a specific student. The parent must still agree to the personal curriculum in order for it to take effect. A school may not implement a personal curriculum for a student without his or her parent’s consent.
• Algebra II may be taken over two years for two credits without a personal curriculum.
•  Districts must offer the personal curriculum option to students. The law states that parents have the option to request a personal curriculum for their child, and districts must have the capacity to respond. A district is not, however, obligated to approve all requests for a personal curriculum.
• A principal has the authority to determine the “counselor designee qualified to act in a counseling role” under section 1233 or 1233a of the school code.
• The intent of the legislation is that the personal curriculum is a pathway to a diploma. The personal curriculum is a tool to individualize the Michigan Merit Curriculum in order to make it accessible and achievable for all students without undermining the rigor of the Michigan Merit Curriculum or the integrity of the diploma.

Questions should be directed to Mary Head at headm1@michigan.gov.

Michigan ASCD resources online:

• MDE Personal Curriculum Wiki
• MDE Personal Curriculum webpage
• MAASE resources for Michigan Merit and Personal Curriculum
• MAISA Instructional Resources Link