MI HB5158

Department of Education shall identify assessment tools to monitor and track developmental milestones in expressive, pragmatic, and receptive language acquisition and development in American Sign Language, English, or communicative competence for deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing children from birth to age 8.

Parents or legal guardians have sole discretion to determine which language and communication mode option best serves their deaf, deafblind, or hard-of-hearing child's educational progress, and may select multiple modes or change selections as needed.

Department shall develop a parent resource including developmental milestones, information about language and communication mode options, risks of language deprivation, technological advances, contact information for relevant organizations, and guidance on participating in individualized education programs.

Department shall establish a 9-member advisory committee within 6 months that includes at least 3 parents of deaf/deafblind/hard-of-hearing children, at least 3 deaf/deafblind/hard-of-hearing members, and 3 additional members with relevant professional expertise, though the department retains exclusive authority over final decisions.

Department shall prepare annual reports starting September 1, 2018, comparing deaf, deafblind, and hard-of-hearing children's language acquisition and development to hearing peers, using existing federal state performance plan data while protecting pupil privacy.