LANSING – State Representative Mark Meadows (D-East Lansing) today voted to restore $184 million in funding to schools and help ease deep cuts to education that could seriously impact Michigan's ability to prepare children for future jobs. Meadows also voted to move the state's School Aid Budget deadline to June 1, in order to prevent the type of budget chaos that ensued when legislators failed to reach a budget accord by Oct. 1 this year.
"I've seen kids in East Lansing and Okemos start out as preschoolers in our local schools and end up graduating at Michigan State," Meadows said. "These dramatic and dangerous cuts to education would have put that path, and the path of thousands of Michigan students at risk. In order to compete for jobs with students from other states and countries, our kids need a world-class education to give them the leg up they need. In this changing economy, we simply can't afford to cut any investment in education."
The plan passed by the House today will leverage $184 million in federal funding, helping to ease the
per-pupil cuts that were imposed on Michigan schools last month.
In addition, the House voted to move the date that the Legislature must complete the School Aid Budget from Oct. 1 to June 1. This change will better allow Michigan schools to plan for their academic school year before it begins, rather then waiting until it has already begun.
The plan also makes it a priority to provide an additional $25.7 million for Michigan's 20j schools and $25.7 million for Michigan's under-funded schools. This $51.4 million would be funded through the Michigan Future Fund once revenue is identified. The East Lansing School District, being a 20j school, would receive a portion of this additional funding.