Michigan House Republicans to Reveal School Funding Plan
In a significant move, Michigan House Republicans are preparing to present their proposal for the state’s school budget, marking a pivotal moment in this year’s fiscal planning. The announcement is set to unfold on Wednesday morning, with leaders emphasizing an increase in total expenditure compared to previous recommendations from the state Senate and governor.
The focal point of the Republican proposal is a $12,000 allocation per student for educational funding. Representative Tim Kelly (R-Saginaw Twp) highlighted the plan’s emphasis on basic spending for schools as opposed to categorical allocations that often favor districts with advanced grant writing capabilities. “A lot of times, the categoricals have dispersed this money — hundreds of millions of dollars — away from the classroom, and it always went to the most sophisticated districts with the best grant writers,” Kelly stated.
Amidst the backdrop of this announcement, House Democrats have voiced their concerns over the delay in the budget proposal’s release. Typically, by this time in the fiscal year, both legislative chambers would have exchanged their budget plans to meet the July 1 deadline for passing the state budget. However, a top House Republican downplayed the significance of this deadline, stating he doesn’t think that deadline matters.
Representative Regina Weiss (D-Oak Park) expressed concern over the impact of budgetary uncertainties on school districts, suggesting potential cutbacks on staff or services like free lunch programs. She remarked, “If we don’t have a budget passed before kids are back in seats, districts are having to make really difficult decisions about how they’re spending their dollars. Our fiscal year ends on September 30, but kids are back in school in mid-August.”
In anticipation of the Republican announcement, House Democrats unveiled their own School Aid Budget proposal, offering $11,400 in base-level funding per student. Representative Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn), serving as minority vice chair of the House Appropriations Committee, spearheaded the Democratic proposal, which includes $2.6 million in ongoing funding for special education and over $1 billion for at-risk students. The plan also proposes $1.2 billion for school infrastructure and $500 million to lower class sizes.
While Kelly noted that the Republican plan would cover some of these areas, he remained skeptical about meeting the July 1 deadline for a deal. He suggested that the legislature might first pass an education budget before tackling a comprehensive state government spending package. To mitigate the lack of a finalized budget, Kelly pointed to a previous measure passed in March that assured schools of a minimum $10,025 per-student funding, allowing districts to begin planning their budgets.
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