MI HB5777

Department of Education must develop by August 31, 2025 a resource for parents/guardians of deaf or hard of hearing children age 5 or younger to track language development and progress toward English literacy, including language developmental milestones, assessment guidance for American Sign Language and/or English, and information about communication modes.

Department must adopt existing assessment tools by September 1, 2025 for local school districts, intermediate school districts, public school academies, and Michigan School for the Deaf to track expressive and receptive language development of deaf or hard of hearing children age 5 or younger.

When a deaf or hard of hearing child does not meet developmental milestones, the child's individualized family service plan or individualized education program team must provide written explanation of why milestones are not being met and specific recommendations for services and strategies to prepare the child for kindergarten and English literacy.

Superintendent of Public Instruction must appoint 15-member advisory committee by January 1, 2025 (dissolving December 31, 2025) with representatives including parents, teachers, speech language pathologists, audiologists, and researchers to recommend language developmental milestones for inclusion in the parent resource.

Department must produce annual report beginning July 1, 2026 on language and literacy development outcomes for deaf or hard of hearing children age 5 or younger using existing federal performance plan data, posted on department website.