On Tuesday, Governor Snyder signed the budget
increasing funds for all education levels and retaining the Michigan
Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) for another year. The total money
directed toward education programs reaches $15.75 billion. Community colleges
will receive a 3 percent increase, universities a 6 percent increase, and a $50
per student increase to all school districts with up to $125 available for the
lowest funded district under House
Bill 5314. The Governor acknowledged that the distribution of funds is
different from his preferred distribution, which would give the lowest funded
districts twice the increase of the other districts, but stated that the budget
involves compromises and this was one of the compromises. HB
5314 also dedicates $1.2 million for a statewide contract for health and
nutrition software which was supported by the chair of the House Appropriations
School Aid Subcommittee, Representative Bill Rodgers (R-Brighton).
Governor Snyder elaborated on his reasoning
for increased funding for universities, saying that he hopes the funding will
allow for a drop in tuition as well as restoring all the funding that was
removed in his first budget. In addition to the increase in funding, the
Governor said that the state needs to increase incentives for dual enrollment
programs, which allow high school students the opportunity to earn college
credits for free.
Mr. Snyder said that early childhood programs
saw an increase in the budget making them fully funded, and the state became a
“no wait” state for preschool due to the increase. Participating in the bill
signing were some of the top robotics teams in the state representing the First
Robotics program. The teams used their robots to deliver the pens used to sign
the budget to Governor Snyder.
The decision to allocate much of the K-12
education increase to the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS)
has drawn many opponents; however, Mr. Snyder defended this spending stating
that school districts will be able to spend their money they receive directly
on more vital areas because of the state funding to MPSERS.
Due to stipulations in the budget, the
Department of Education will be required to use the MEAP next year rather than
the Smarter Balanced Assessment Coalition which was their plan. Contrary to
original statements from the department, Superintendent of Public Instruction
Mike Flanagan said that the department will comply with the law and have a new
MEAP ready for administering next year.