2026 Senate Bill 989 / Public Act 24

Education: teachers and administrators; interim teaching certification process; modify.

An act to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled “An act to provide a system of public instruction and elementary and secondary schools; to revise, consolidate, and clarify the laws relating to elementary and secondary education; to provide for the organization, regulation, and maintenance of schools, school districts, public school academies, intermediate school districts, and other public school entities; to prescribe rights, powers, duties, and privileges of schools, school districts, public school academies, intermediate school districts, and other public school entities; to provide for the regulation of school teachers and certain other school employees; to provide for school elections and to prescribe powers and duties with respect thereto; to provide for the levy and collection of taxes; to provide for the borrowing of money and issuance of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness; to establish a fund and provide for expenditures from that fund; to make appropriations for certain purposes; to provide for and prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments, the state board of education, and certain other boards and officials; to provide for licensure of boarding schools; to prescribe penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,” by amending section 1531i (MCL 380.1531i), as amended by 2024 PA 49.

AI Analysis – Experimental

Removes the upcoming prohibition on granting Interim Teaching Certificates with special education endorsements through alternative certification programs, allowing Michigan to continue addressing its special education teacher shortage without fiscal impact.

Introduced in the Senate

May 20, 2026

Introduced by Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-5) and five co-sponsors

Co-sponsored by Sens. Veronica Klinefelt (D-11), Stephanie Chang (D-3), Rosemary Bayer (D-13), Sue Shink (D-14) and Erika Geiss (D-1)

Referred to the Committee on Education

June 2, 2026

Reported without amendment

June 3, 2026

Referred to the Committee of the Whole

June 16, 2026

Reported without amendment

June 17, 2026

Passed in the Senate 38 to 0 (details)

Received in the House

June 17, 2026

Referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

July 2, 2026

Discharged from committee

July 3, 2026

Passed in the House 108 to 0 (details)

Motion to give immediate effect by Rep. Bryan Posthumus (R-90)

The motion prevailed by voice vote

Received in the Senate

July 3, 2026

Motion to give immediate effect by Sen. Sam Singh (D-28)

The motion prevailed by voice vote

Signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

July 21, 2026