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Some local schools to see a funding increase in new state budget. (June 6, 2012) |
The Michigan Senate voted to approve the final education funding section of the state 2013-14 budget Tuesday.
About 450 schools will receive a $120 per student funding increase from last year, including several schools in Northern Michigan, under the plan passed by both chambers. An additional $52 per student could be earned by some schools for meeting several requirements -- such as publishing dropout rates online.
House members approved the same provisions Friday.
Republicans lawmakers called the budget process a success.
Rep. Frank Foster, R-Petoskey, commended Northern Michigan senators including Sen. Howard Walker, R-Traverse City, for their work to get funding for Northern Michigan schools.
"I couldn't be happier," Foster said about the overall budget.
Foster said several downstate lawmakers were trying to use the additional funding to pay down the Michigan Public School Employee Retirement System, but was glad there will be additional funding going to the lowest schools.
The freshman representative said he was pleased with the school requirements that he believes will level the playing field with larger school districts in the southern portion of Michigan.
"Our teachers work for less, their benefit packages are less and their students get less per pupil, but we achieve at a higher level," Foster said. "So, I'm not only happy to see that per pupil funding ... and I also think we'll see a disproportionate amount of extra funding because of student achievement."
However, outside of school aid funding, Foster said he would have liked to see the Legislature address road funding with more immediacy.
Democrats called the budget part of the worst two-year budget cycle in recent history, citing the $120 per pupil education increase not going far enough to replace the $470 per student cuts imposed last year.
"My Republican colleagues should be ashamed of this budget and what it does to our kids, not proud, but here they are clapping for themselves and slapping each other on the back for completing this appalling budget," said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing. "This only further illustrates how oblivious and out of touch Republicans are with the people they represent. Over the last 18 months, Senate Republicans have picked the pockets of our kids and raided almost $2 billion from the School Aid Fund. Passing a budget that attacks our kids and our seniors to pay for corporate tax cuts shows neither courage nor leadership, but it's downright disturbing that they can do so with no conflict of conscience."
Sen. Walker, who sits on Senate Appropriations K-12 committee, said Democrats were critical of the budget, but didn't have revenue suggestions of their own for schools.
Walker said the 2010 elections were about reducing deficit spending and Republicans planned to stick to that initiative.
"That's the reality we are working with," Walker said. "We think that's important for our tax payers and we think that's important for our economy to send a message we are going to have a stable tax system and live within our means."
Although, Walker said he would like to see more revenue put into the K-12 and higher education in the future.
North Central Michigan College to see funding bump, along with local K-12 schools
After years of declines in state aid, many Michigan public schools and public higher education institutions will see an increase in funding for the upcoming school year.
The final piece of the state budget, passed by the Senate on Tuesday, calls for state universities and community colleges to see an overall increase of 3 percent funding over last year.
About 450 schools will receive a $120 per student funding increase from last year, including several schools in Northern Michigan, under the plan passed by both chambers. An additional $52 per student could be earned by some schools for meeting several requirements -- such as publishing dropout rates online.
House members approved the same provisions Friday.
Republicans lawmakers called the budget process a success.
Rep. Frank Foster, R-Petoskey, commended Northern Michigan senators including Sen. Howard Walker, R-Traverse City, for their work to get funding for Northern Michigan schools.
"I couldn't be happier," Foster said about the overall budget.
Foster said several downstate lawmakers were trying to use the additional funding to pay down the Michigan Public School Employee Retirement System, but was glad there will be additional funding going to the lowest schools.
The freshman representative said he was pleased with the school requirements that he believes will level the playing field with larger school districts in the southern portion of Michigan.
"Our teachers work for less, their benefit packages are less and their students get less per pupil, but we achieve at a higher level," Foster said. "So, I'm not only happy to see that per pupil funding ... and I also think we'll see a disproportionate amount of extra funding because of student achievement."
However, outside of school aid funding, Foster said he would have liked to see the Legislature address road funding with more immediacy.
Democrats called the budget part of the worst two-year budget cycle in recent history, citing the $120 per pupil education increase not going far enough to replace the $470 per student cuts imposed last year.
"My Republican colleagues should be ashamed of this budget and what it does to our kids, not proud, but here they are clapping for themselves and slapping each other on the back for completing this appalling budget," said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, D-East Lansing. "This only further illustrates how oblivious and out of touch Republicans are with the people they represent. Over the last 18 months, Senate Republicans have picked the pockets of our kids and raided almost $2 billion from the School Aid Fund. Passing a budget that attacks our kids and our seniors to pay for corporate tax cuts shows neither courage nor leadership, but it's downright disturbing that they can do so with no conflict of conscience."
Sen. Walker, who sits on Senate Appropriations K-12 committee, said Democrats were critical of the budget, but didn't have revenue suggestions of their own for schools.
Walker said the 2010 elections were about reducing deficit spending and Republicans planned to stick to that initiative.
"That's the reality we are working with," Walker said. "We think that's important for our tax payers and we think that's important for our economy to send a message we are going to have a stable tax system and live within our means."
Although, Walker said he would like to see more revenue put into the K-12 and higher education in the future.
North Central Michigan College to see funding bump, along with local K-12 schools
After years of declines in state aid, many Michigan public schools and public higher education institutions will see an increase in funding for the upcoming school year.
The final piece of the state budget, passed by the Senate on Tuesday, calls for state universities and community colleges to see an overall increase of 3 percent funding over last year.
