7/13/21 - Whitmer Signs 17 Billion Dollar School Aid Budget

The state’s school aid budget is the largest investment into the Michigan public school system.

Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s signing of the 17 billion dollar package at East Kentwood High School goes back to a promise made over 30 years ago.

“We are eliminating the funding gap between schools without raising taxes.  This was a promise from 1994, when we passed proposal A.”

Whitmer says equal funding does not mean equality. 

“We recognize that funding should increase with student need.  And I’m proud that we are taking steps toward the weighted foundation formula in this budget too.”

723 million dollars will go to ensure that each school has the same baseline funding of 87-hundred dollars per pupil.  The bi-partisan budget does not add additional federal dollars and is not part of the one-time funding the Governor signed off on last week.  Whitmer says districts recognize those funds would only be used for one time expenditures.

Whitmer says the funding will ensure each district can hire teachers, add nurses and psychologists to their staff.  The funding will also go towards updating textbooks, facilities and sports equipment.

The bill approved by lawmakers also expands early childhood education to every four year old in the state.