LANSING, MI (AP)-- A bill heading to Governor Rick Snyder for his signature lifts a cap on teacher certification test fees so they can go up for the first time in 23 years.
The Senate voted 33-4 for the legislation Wednesday.
The current fee is $50 for a basic skills exam and $75 for an elementary certification or subject-area test. The bill doesn't outline new fees but says the state Education Department cannot implement fees exceeding actual costs.
State officials say the cap hinders their ability to competitively bid for teacher certification tests and buy higher-quality updates. Online certification tests are optional and cost $130 to $140.
The legislation requires Michigan to notify teacher colleges at least a year in advance of fee increases.
