State Rep. Cam Cavitt on Wednesday testified before the House Education and Workforce Committee in support of his plan to ensure all areas of the state are represented on the State Board of Education (SBE). The committee approved the legislation along party lines.

“We need to decentralize power and ensure that all parts of the state have a voice in crafting statewide education policy,” said Cavitt, R-Cheboygan. “Without geographic diversity, educational priorities from smaller, rural communities like my own become nothing more than background noise in debates between folks from Grand Rapids and Detroit.”

Currently, candidates for the SBE are nominated during the Republican and Democrat state conventions. The candidates can live anywhere in the state, meaning candidates often come from population-dense areas, like Metro Detroit or Grand Rapids.

Cavitt’s plan, House Bill 4148, requires SBE candidates to be selected from four districts, matching the current Michigan Court of Appeal districts.  The plan would also create a rotating election schedule for the SBE. In 2026, and every 8 years after, parties would nominate 1 candidate from District 1 and another from District 4. In 2028, and every 8 years after, parties nominate 1 candidate from District 2 and another from District 3.

HB 4148 now moves to the House floor for further consideration.

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