State Rep. Nancy Jenkins-Arno (R–Rollin Township) today supported the House plans for both K-12 and higher education funding.

The $21.9 billion K-12 budget makes strategic investments to prioritize student success, academic improvement, and financial transparency. It provides $12,000 in per-pupil funding for every public-school student and allocates $314.5 million in grants to help schools reduce class sizes, improve reading outcomes, consolidate facilities, and enhance infrastructure. To ensure accountability, schools will be required to submit annual reports showing how per-pupil funds are spent. The plan also strengthens school safety by incentivizing every district to employ at least one school resource officer.

In addition to increasing investment, the plan ensures that schools don’t use curriculums that promote race or gender stereotyping, it bans funding for DEI initiatives, and it ensures fairness in girls’ athletics by preventing biological males from competing in female sports divisions. These provisions are designed to keep classrooms focused on learning, protect student safety, and ensure fairness in school activities.

“I’m proud to support our school aid budget plan because it makes a direct investment in the future of Michigan students,” said Rep. Jenkins-Arno. “This plan removes the one-size-fits-all funding formula for schools and provides a flexible per-pupil allotment that allows districts to craft budgets to best fit their needs. It ensures consistent, reliable funding to help schools retain great teachers, maintain quality resources, and protect essential programs to ensure that every child, in every district, has the chance to succeed.”

The House higher education plan outlines a $2.4 billion budget to support Michigan’s public universities. Funding would be based on enrollment, allocating $5,500 per full-time, in-state undergraduate student. A newly created Campus Investment Fund would help support infrastructure needs, with awards tied to student enrollment and capped based on a university’s endowment size.

The proposal also removes state funding for DEI programs, caps administrative spending at 10%, and withholds funding from institutions that segregate graduation ceremonies based on race and sex and implements rules requiring legal status verification for students. The proposal also restricts biological males from competing in women’s collegiate sports.

“We want Michigan’s high school graduates to have access to top-tier universities right here at home without financial barriers standing in their way,” said Jenkins-Arno. “Michigan’s universities are respected across the country, and this plan helps ensure our young adults can use their talents and skills to build their futures right here in our state.”