A new report from an education advocacy group said that 90% of Michigan students attend schools without sufficient funding
The report said most of those students need a boost of about $2,000 each in funding to give them a proper education.
The Michigan Legislature set aside a record $19 billion for education this year, much of which is federal COVID funds. But according to the Michigan Education Law Center, that’s about 25% below what it should be.
Michigan students are still trying to recover after spending so much time away from school due to COVID and that is included in this year’s budget.
“While the state has made progress in the last 10 years, we still have a long way to go to get to the funding levels, structures to provide students with the education they deserve,” Michigan Education Association labor economist Tanner Delpier said.
Oak Park State Representative Regina Weiss chairs the School Aid and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and she says they’re looking for ways to find that kind of money.
“We realize that we’re still a far cry away from what is required of us and what we need to be providing to our students across the state,” Weiss said.
They’re looking to tackle the usual school funding issues like small class sizes, student support such as counselors, para-professional aids, and social workers, health professionals, libraries, special education, and pre-school.
Yet other studies say spending on that level often doesn’t equate to better test scores. Mackinac Policy Center research director Michael Van Beek said “What matters most is teacher quality, meaning having excellent teachers in the classrooms.”
The state spent its federal funding. The education budget is likely to move down to around $15 billion.
You can download the full report and view the interactive website that provides data on each district online -- just click here.