(Source: MIRS.news, Published 06/30/2022) State lawmakers Thursday passed a $19.6 billion School Aid Fund budget, the largest K-12 state aid budget to Michigan schools in state history by 15%. It passed without any new boilerplate restricting transgender athletes in school or abortion restrictions, third-rail issues that threatened to derail the process as recently as 48 hours ago.
With more money than legislators are used to having, everyone got a little bit of what they wanted.
The House wanted a $300 increase, raising the state's per-pupil allowance to $9,000 per pupil. The Governor wanted to boost the per pupil allowance by $435 to $9,135. The Senate was looking at $450 more to $9,150. The higher number is where they're going to land. Cyber schools will not see a cut.
The School Aid Fund omnibus bill (SB 845) includes $1 billion for the Michigan Public Schools Employees Retirement System (MPSERS), which was a huge priority for the House.
The Governor wanted to see additional money for at-risk funding, special education, infrastructure and teacher recruitment. She will get all four. And more.
On the at-risk funding, there's slated to be $223 million more, boosting the total to $747.5 million, which is basically what the Governor wanted. This means an additional payment of $1,052 more per student as opposed to the $768 payment per economically disadvantaged student from the current fiscal year.
Roughly $312 million is going to special education as part of a new formula. School infrastructure isn't getting the $1 billion the Governor wanted, but is getting $475 million.
As for infrastructure, $475 million is going into a special School Consolidation and Infrastructure Fund with $5 million used for a consolidation study.
As for teacher recruitment, there's $575 million (which includes $175 million for a program to help school employees get teaching certificates).
Before SB 845 was voted on near 2 a.m. in the Senate chamber, Senate Appropriations Chair Jim Stamas (R-Midland) highlighted the budget as a historic investment in Michigan children and its education system. He underscored its increase of the per-pupil base foundation, financial infusion into educator fellowships and student-teacher stipends.
“We've also made the investment into Michigan's future with an investment of $1.4 billion going toward paying down the MPSERS debt that we currently have as a state,” Stamas said.
The MPSERS investment, as it would also support numerous Michigan universities in eliminating their debt, was the reason why Republican Sens. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) and Jim Runestad (R-White Lake) voted against the historic K-12 budget.
“I have a lot of support for many elements of this bill that's before us today. I especially appreciate the funding in this bill to go toward enhanced school safety measures. But I made a commitment to the residents of my district that would oppose any school aid budget that takes and robs money out of the restricted K-12 school aid fund and instead uses that funding for colleges and universities,” Barrett said as part of his no-vote explanation.
He said as institutions of higher education have multiple revenue streams, Barrett deemed it as inappropriate to take money from an elementary school classroom and into some of the state's most privilege entities and the salaries of administrators and deans.
Sen. Curtis Hertel (D-East Lansing), the minority vice chair of Senate Appropriations, said he believes in the long-term, K-12 and higher education funds should remain separated.
The House voted around 2:45 a.m. to pass the budget, 99-7. The no votes were Ryan Berman (R-Commerce Twp.), Steve Carra (R-Three Rivers), Steven Johnson (R-Wayland Twp.), Matt Maddock (R-Milford), Luke Meerman (R-Polkton Twp.), John Reilly (R-Oakland) and Daire Rendon (R-Lake City) .
"From making significant new investments in special education, at-risk funding, mental health supports and other traditionally underfunded programs, this budget is going to provide Michigan's schools with far greater tools to help our students succeed," said Ken Gutmam, superintendent of Walled Lake Consolidated Schools and president of the K-12 Alliance of Michigan.
There's also lots of new goodies in the School Aid Budget.
It includes $52 million for learning loss recovery, $25 million for before and after school programs and $50 million for stipends for student teachers to help pay for tuition and other costs.
School safety grants increases are $158 million more for a total of $168 million.
School resource officer grants of $25 million were approved, with those districts interested required to put up a 50% match.
Per pupil mental health grants of $150 million were approved as were $50 million for a new TRAILS program that features mental health professions for intermediate school districts.
The Great Start Readiness program for low-income 4-year-olds is getting $34 million more for a total of $452.5 million.
Asked about the information, Peter Spadafore, executive director of the Middle Cities Education Association said, "It's obviously great news. We are thrilled and ecstatic to see those numbers."
He is especially geeked because his urban school membership is in line for a hefty increase for special education and at-risk students.
"The middle city schools serve a higher percentage of special education students and a higher percentage of at-risk students so to have this type of investment coming our way is very important for my member districts and the students they will use these dollars to serve," he explained.
The education community is also relieved to know that whatever the dollar amount is, none of it will be one-time money. Rather, the Governor and key legislators agreed that state aid should be "sustainable over time," which means the districts won't have to cut future budgets because the money they get today may not be there tomorrow.
One of the indirect benefits of this historic increase is that it may help to address the employee shortage issue across the state, which was a crisis even before the COVID pandemic.
From the persons who drive the buses to the employees who clean the buildings and for the administrators and instructors who deal directly with the students, Spadafore said, "We're seeing shortages. We're seeing folks post jobs and get no applicants. We're seeing under-qualified applicants and we're seeing people leaving the state to other states where education is a greater priority. So, it's getting pretty bad."
