WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. – Michigan officials put $17 billion into education in the 2022 budget, but the need is much larger than that.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is holding listening sessions with educators across the state for more input on how to improve the situation.
Read: Michigan Gov. Whitmer signs $17.1 billion school budget for 2022
Teachers and mental health providers have told the governor that there is plenty of need and not enough resources.
One of the teachers who attended Tuesday’s early session was from Oxford High School and they asked for help.
Social studies teacher Lauren Jasinski said she has nearly 200 students in class, 50 for tutoring and her own family. She said she is feeling pulled in too many directions.
“If there is something that can be done to preserve and protect and reduce class size, I think that we could really trust the professionals to do what we know how to do,” Jasinski said.
Whitmer spoke in a press briefing after the listening session.
“Having smaller class sizes, more counselors in the schools -- are pieces to make sure our kids are getting the kind of education we need and teachers get the kinds of support they need to be successful,” Whitmer said.
The Michigan Democratic Party complicated matters for Whitmer in a Facebook post about schooling that it shared and deleted over the weekend.
Whitmer said she believes education needs to be collaborative between the parents, school districts and the Department of Education.
Read: Complete Michigan education coverage