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Supporting record school funding
RELEASE|August 21, 2019

By state Rep. Beth Griffin, of Mattawan

As summer break ends, students are preparing for the school year. Students are again expected to return to classrooms with the backing of record state funding and a renewed emphasis on workforce preparation.

Michigan’s current budget makes the largest K-12 investment in state history, investing $14.8 billion in K-12 education this year alone. Even more promising, next year’s state spending plan for K-12 education is expected to top $15 billion.

As a former middle school teacher, I know firsthand the importance of making sure our children and grandchildren have access to the education they need to build a better future for themselves and the state of Michigan. Because of this, I am advocating for additional resources for our local schools to fulfill that responsibility.

While discussions are taking place between the Legislature and the governor’s office to finalize next year’s budget, I wanted to highlight some of the details about the House-approved budget plan that I supported in June.

The plan calls for investing more in every student, while closing the gap between lowest- and highest-funded districts. The budget proposal would also increase our minimum per-pupil foundation allowance by $180 per student, raising this grant to $8,051 per student.

If the House-approved plan moves forward as outlined, all of our communities’ school districts will see an increase in school aid funds beginning Oct. 1. This is in addition to the largest annual average per-student increase in 15 years, which schools are already receiving in the current fiscal year budget.

Our commitment to education is much deeper than just the basic foundation allowance. The House-approved plan also boosts funding for career and technical education (CTE) to more than $78 million. We’re increasing the CTE funding to $75 per student and providing $21 million in equipment grants to enhance these specialized programs across the state. This will better equip Michigan students for successful careers in high demand fields.

I have introduced legislation to update high school curriculum standards to align with today’s educational and professional environment. Under the plan, students would have the freedom to choose at least three courses in any combination of foreign language, visual or performing arts, computer science or coding, or a formal CTE program in order to graduate rather than only a language or an art.

Included in the record funding is prioritizing early literacy skills. The House-approved budget proposes a $2.1 million increase to fund additional literacy coaches, and $19.9 million to increase instructional time for K-3 students not reading at grade level.

If Michigan wants to see improvements in education, it must start investing in every student. It shouldn’t matter whether a student plans to attend a four-year university, a trade school, or enter the workforce right after high school. All of our kids deserve a pathway leading to a successful career, and I’m confident the investments we are making now will do just that.

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