Michigan lawmakers publicly announced plans Wednesday to pass a $62B state budget for the upcoming fiscal year, designed to enforce minimum spending and prevent cuts to school budgets.
If passed, K-12 schools can look forward to a $65 increase for each student enrolled. The increased funding will only be distributed by headcount once. The total amount of money per school varies by enrollment.
The budget plan, which passed the Senate 36-1, was well-received and is expected to reach Gov. Gretchen Whitmer late Tuesday.
Officials are in high spirits following Wednesday’s announcement.
“Even as we face a budget shortfall, we have increased funding to our K-12 students,” Senate Appropriations Chair Jim Stamas, R-Midland, said on the Senate floor.
Staff and faculty can also expect a monetary boost of up to $250; the increase is an acknowledgment of the various challenges in connection with teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lawmakers also reviewed plans regarding tourism, financial assistance for aspiring community college students aged 25+, and cuts in connection with The Corrections Department. Budget processes for higher-learning institutions, with a budget of $17 billion, will continue as planned.
To meet the upcoming fiscal year’s start date of Oct. 1, Michigan’s newest state budget will have to be passed by Sept. 30.
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