While many education majors don’t become teachers for the money, some, like elementary education senior Ashley Anderson, said they feel they can do better elsewhere.

“The economy is bad here, so I’m planning on leaving the state,” Anderson said. “I can make more money elsewhere. Las Vegas is recruiting (educators) and giving them bonuses.”

The bill passed Monday and did not amend the benefits legislators receive. Legislators older than 55 who have spent six years working in either the Senate or House of Representatives are eligible for lifetime health benefits.

The teachers reform bill was part of a deal state legislators made to end a partial government shutdown and extend Michigan’s current fiscal year.

“I don’t think I should receive lifetime benefits after only serving six years,” said Rep. Marty Knollenberg, R-Troy.

Knollenberg introduced legislation that would end the eligibility for benefits beginning with the 2007 freshmen legislators.

“We are a term-limited Legislature, we shouldn’t be receiving perks. Health insurance is so expensive we need to address it.

“We’ve addressed the teachers and other public employees; we should address our own,” Knollenberg said.

A separate bill eliminating lifetime benefits for legislators was passed in the House in May and has yet to be taken up by the Senate, said Greg Bird, spokesman for House Majority Speaker Andy Dillon, D-Redford.

The separate bill would not apply to the current freshman class of legislators but the next group, said Knollenberg.

Some are criticizing the Legislature for driving recent education graduates out of Michigan.

“The problem with this is it’s already difficult to recruit the best and brightest to come into education because the salaries aren’t competitive with similarly trained fields that are available for a college student,” said Doug Pratt, director of communications for Michigan Education Association, or MEA.

“The health insurance and retirement benefits we offer the employees are a critical part of recruiting the best employees for our students and those changes threaten those benefits.”

There are some education majors, however, who think the changes won’t impact them much.

The reform would not affect any current school employees but would affect future Michigan teachers like education senior Tiffany Worthy.

“It doesn’t change my decision to teach in Michigan,” Worthy said. “I want to teach here. Health care is important, but it wouldn’t be the make or break factor for me. I want to give back to the state and my community.”