State Activities​

The Michigan Association of School Boards, Michigan Association of Superintendents & Administrators, Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators, Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals, Michigan Elementary & Middle School Principals Association, Michigan Association of Administrators of Special Education, K-12 Alliance and Education Advocates of West Michigan issued this statement today regarding House Bill 4577, the School Aid budget:

“As organizations representing public school administrators and school board members across the state, we strongly oppose HB 4577, the House K-12 School Aid budget proposal, which fundamentally weakens the entire K-12 School Aid funding model and puts Michigan’s public schools at risk. To put it plainly, the budget proposal put forth by the House is not serious and will set back a decade of progress toward timely education budgets that address the needs of our most vulnerable students.

The budget proposal more than doubles the amount of K-12 funding taken from classrooms to pay for non-education spending. This proposal also diverts an additional $1.9 billion of School Aid funds to balance the state's general fund budget on the backs of students.

Creating a new per-pupil grant by eliminating funding for rural districts, career and technical education, literacy education, school safety, mental health supports, English language learners, and universal meals is not a step forward — it’s a step backward for Michigan students. These targeted programs reflect the real and varied needs of our schools and students. Stripping away this support in favor of a flat, one-size-fits-all payment ignores the individual needs of students who require more support to succeed — whether due to geography, personal challenges, or educational needs.

Rather than removing regulations and restrictions, this budget proposal explicitly ties funding to vague, constitutionally questionable requirements that have nothing to do with educating kids.  This is the opposite of putting money into the classroom. It violates Michigan's Constitutional prohibition on providing state dollars to private schools.  It seeks to undo the statutory change passed last year, which reduced the MPSERS employee contribution rate, eliminating more than $700 million in annual savings for schools. 

We strongly urge House Republicans to go back to the drawing board and put forth a serious proposal that the Senate and Governor can respond to in good faith. Contrary to statements made today, this budget is not a tool, or a negotiating tactic - it’s a statement of intent by House Republicans on what they prioritize for Michigan’s public schools and the statement being made is that Michigan’s schools come second to income tax cuts and infrastructure discussions.”