The Herald Palladium has started to report that local boards of education are currently
approving their 2025-26 school year budgets. Michigan school districts are required by
law to approve the next year’s budget before July 1. This applies whether the legislature
has done its job, or not, and sent the school aid budget to the Governor’s desk. They
have not.
In March, the Michigan House passed a school aid budget that cuts school aid by $5
billion or 25 percent. Likewise, the Michigan Senate in May passed an unlikely budget
that increased school aid by $850 million. In my thirty plus years of school finance
experience, I cannot remember a time when the House and the Senate were $6 billion
apart. The Appropriations committees and leadership in both chambers need to sit
down and have a realistic talk for the benefit of Michigan’s 1.4 million school children
and our underappreciated teachers.
This year’s school district budgeting must be that much harder with the uncertainty of
federal support, or lack of support, for public education. Statewide 83 percent of school
district revenues are from state and federal sources, according to Michigan Department
of Education data. My condolences to school boards, superintendents, and school
business officials who must approve budgets with so much uncertainty.
Public education certainly takes its fair share of criticism. Test scores need to improve.
So do graduation rates. Schools need to better prepare students that are college bound
but even more so for those who will be employed in trades upon graduation. Public
schools also must remember their mission of educating all students including those with
special needs.
My confession. I am a supporter of public education. Teachers, principals, bus drivers,
custodians, classroom aides, and school administrators have my deepest respect. Allow
me to share a few reasons why I appreciate these professionals.
MLive recently reported that in the 2023-24 school year, 35,495 students statewide
were considered homeless. That is about 2.5 percent of all students. A searchable table
in the article indicates that 848 homeless students attended schools in Berrien County.
Kudos to the school social workers, counselors, teachers, and support staff who work
daily to make a difference in the lives of kids who may not know where they will sleep at
night.
The State of Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI)
releases a variety of information on Michigan schools and students. In fall 2024
according to CEPI, just under 50 percent of students in Berrien County qualified for the
National School Lunch free lunch program. To qualify for the program, the household
income of a student’s family must be less than 130 percent of the federal poverty line. In
other words, in Berrien County, one half of students meet the federal government’s definition of being poor or near poor. For some schools, it is 75 percent of students or
more. Not all children have broadband Internet and computers at home. Some kids
come to school hungry. Thank you to school cooks who do their best to provide
nutritious meals to students daily.
Michigan law requires Michigan schools to provide educational and other services for
special needs students from birth until age 25. Statewide, 15 percent of students or
223,100 students qualified for special education services this school year, according to
CEPI. In Berrien County, there are 3,741 students who participate in special education
services in 2024-25. Bravo to the teachers and classroom aids who work with these kids
striving to enhance the educational opportunities of youth with various special needs.
Many Michigan students thrive. Often students will go on to study and graduate from
Michigan, Michigan State, Western, Grand Valley or one of several private colleges in
the state. Others will commence important apprentices or training in trade schools and
will become electricians, plumbers, carpenters, nursing assistants or home health aides.
Our lives are better when more students succeed in becoming productive Michiganders.
As a retired school business manager and a Past President of the Michigan School
Business Officials, I continue to follow the state school aid budget process and support
public education. Michigan schools and school staff are by no means perfect. However,
in my opinion, school staff are often heroes for kids.
My hope is that our state legislators and federal congressmen will agree with that when
they diligently get to work and appropriate funds to support the important work done
daily in our public schools.
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Ben Franklin.
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