Lansing Update: Policy Day Brings Together Nonpublic School Leaders and Lawmakers
Posted March 21, 2025
School Leaders Visit Lansing to Advocate for Nonpublic Education
Dozens of Catholic and other nonpublic school leaders from across the state met with their lawmakers in Lansing this week to advocate for their students during the annual Policy Day organized by the Michigan Association of Nonpublic Schools (MANS) and Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC).
Each year, MCC and MANS coordinate scheduled visits for nonpublic school leaders and their representatives, allowing them to directly advocate for their students on issues of importance for nonpublic education. The 50 school leaders who attended this year were briefed on legislative issues before meeting with their representatives or senators on Thursday. Approximately 30 state representatives and 19 senators or their staff hosted nonpublic school leaders for meetings.
The annual Policy Day event comes at a critical time as lawmakers work toward passing a new state budget. MANS and MCC are working with lawmakers to urge support for students in all schools, particularly when it comes to legislative priorities such as school safety improvement funding and attracting more quality teachers to the profession.
This year, nonpublic school leaders were also asked to address a proposed change to how their students participate in dual enrollment. For more than a decade, nonpublic students have been able to earn college credits while still enrolled in high school, without having to enroll and concurrently take a public school district course. The proposed executive budget would discontinue this practice, creating an additional hurdle for nonpublic students to access these opportunities.
School leaders were also encouraged to speak with their lawmakers about allowing all certified teachers—including those teaching in nonpublic schools—to access literacy instruction training, given the universal importance of reading, and because the budget proposal currently only allows public school teachers to access the training.
Other issues that school leaders were briefed on to discuss with lawmakers include familiar budget priorities for nonpublic schools, such as continued support for nonpublic students to participate in robotics and science competitions, reimbursement for the cost to comply with state-mandated health and safety policies, and expansion of a school meal program to reach all children in nonpublic schools that serve breakfast and lunch.
It’s Official: Archbishop Weisenburger is the New Shepherd of Detroit
This week, the Archdiocese of Detroit formally welcomed its new leader, Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, who was officially installed as chief shepherd of the archdiocese this past Tuesday during a Mass of Installation.
Archbishop Weisenburger, most recently bishop of Tucson, Arizona, succeeds Archbishop Emeritus Allen Vigneron, who is retiring. For full coverage of the event this week, see the stories published at Detroit Catholic.
As archbishop of Detroit, Archbishop Weisenburger will become the fifth chairman of the MCC Board of Directors, as MCC’s bylaws call for the metropolitan archbishop to serve as Board chair.
MCC: Life of Unborn Child Still Has Value Amid Tragic Circumstances
Legislation that could allow the withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment from a pregnant mother—even if continued treatment could save the unborn child—advanced from a Senate committee this week despite MCC opposition.
Senate Bill 33 is a reintroduction of similar legislation from last session that MCC also opposed. The bill would change state regulations regarding patient advocate designations, which allows the designation of a person who can direct health care decisions on an individual’s behalf if the individual is unable to make those decisions.
MCC previously shared with lawmakers that the bill allows a woman to have her patient advocate designation stipulate that life-sustaining treatment is not desired, even if she is pregnant. The problem is making that determination in advance of unknown circumstances, and regardless of the stage of the woman’s pregnancy, or of the likelihood of the baby’s survival.
The Church generally recognizes that a person’s wishes for the use or withdrawal of life-sustaining procedures should be respected. At the same time, in a situation with a pregnant woman, another human life is involved and should be taken into consideration. If the baby is alive in these circumstances, forgoing treatment could also result in the death of the child.
Even in these tragic scenarios, the child’s life still has value and should be offered protective measures if care can be provided proportionately and without undue burden to both the child and the family.
The legislation was approved by the Senate Housing and Human Services Committee and was sent to the Senate floor.
The Rest of the Week’s Legislative Activity, At a Glance
Here’s a quick roundup on bills that MCC has reported on previously that saw movement in the Legislature this week:
- The Senate version of legislation to ensure impoverished youth receive their constitutional right to legal counsel was approved in a bipartisan vote in the Senate. MCC supports this legislation as the final piece of a major initiative to reform the juvenile justice system.
- The MCC-supported bill to ensure foster children receive the federal benefits they are entitled to was approved by a Senate committee and moved to the Senate floor. The legislation would end the state practice of seizing those benefits to offset the cost of caring for foster kids.
- A legislative package to strengthen protections for vulnerable adults against financial exploitation or abuse was approved by a Senate committee with MCC support. The bills would allow for court-ordered elder and vulnerable adult personal protection orders (PPOs).