MI HB4493

Requires school districts and public school academies to include age and grade-appropriate instruction about genocide, including the Holocaust and Armenian Genocide, in grades 8-12 social studies curriculum beginning in 2016-2017 school year, with a recommended combined total of 6 hours of instruction.

Creates the governor's council on genocide and Holocaust education as a temporary 15-member advisory body funded entirely by private sources to identify resources, advise schools on genocide education strategies, promote memorial events, and submit annual progress reports to the legislature.

Establishes definitions for "genocide," "Holocaust" (systematic murder of approximately 6,000,000 Jews and 5,000,000 others by Nazi regime), and "Armenian Genocide" (systematic murder of approximately 1,500,000 Armenians by Ottoman Turkish Empire).

Requires state board recommended model core academic curriculum content standards for history grades 8-12 to include learning objectives concerning genocide education and mandates Michigan merit examination social studies component include questions related to genocide learning objectives beginning in 2016-2017 school year.

Modifies teacher performance evaluation system requirements to include specific rating categories (highly effective, effective, minimally effective, ineffective), mandatory classroom observations, and student growth data accountability measures.