Whitmer Signs Education Budget Bill With Highest State Per-Pupil Investment Ever

MICHIGAN — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Thursday signed a bipartisan education budget bill that will provide record combined funding for K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, according to a news release from the governor's office.

The $22.2 billion investment aims to improve school infrastructure, fund teacher recruitment, bolster school safety and expand mental health resources. $19.6 billion will go toward K-12 schools, just over $2 billion will go to universities and $530.3 million to community colleges, according to the House Fiscal Agency.

"The budget makes the highest state per-student investment in Michigan history to help schools buy new textbooks, offer more personalized instruction and bolster AP and honors classes," Whitmer said in a news release. "It also bolsters resources for special education, at-risk funding, and career and technical education while expanding slots in free after-school and preschool programs."

Here's what's in the budget:

• $9,150 per-pupil funding for every kid, in every public school district, highest state amount ever.
• $214 per-pupil mental health and school safety funding for every kid, in every public school district.
• Additional funding to meet students’ individual needs for all of the nearly 200,000 special education and 710,000 at-risk students.
• 1,300 more free preschool slots in the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP).
• $250 million for school infrastructure.
• $10,000 in tuition for 2,500 future Michigan educators every year.

The budget was also broken down into six categories:

1) Students

For our students, the highest state per-pupil funding in Michigan history—$9,150 for students in every district. Additional support for the nearly 200,000 special education students and 710,000 at-risk students in Michigan. An expansion of free preschool under the Great Start Readiness Program to 1,300 more kids. Expanding funding for career and technical education programs by 27 percent.

2) Mental Health

Dedicated mental health dollars for every student in every school. Increasing funding for teen centers, district mental health grants, and TRAILS, which offers training to school mental health professionals so they can better serve students with evidence-based services.

3) Learning Supports

An expansion of before and after-school programs to keep kids engaged. Funding for the MI Kids Back on Track, Governor Whitmer’s proposal to offer every kid in Michigan tutoring to help catch up and get on track for long-term success, and resources for districts to develop learning pods for academically at-risk and economically disadvantaged students.

4) Student Safety

Dedicated school safety dollars for every student in every school. Funds to hire more on-campus school resources officers, create an intervention system for at-risk students that brings together law enforcement, schools, and mental health professionals, and establish a school safety commission.

5) School Infrastructure

$250 million for school infrastructure. Resources to help schools build or refurbish classrooms, labs, and libraries. Funds to assess current state of school infrastructure, determine further funding.

6) Teacher Recruitment

Funding MI Future Educator Fellowships, which pay up to $10,000 in tuition for 2,500 future Michigan educators every year, $9,600 stipends a semester for student teachers, and Grow-Your-Own programs that help districts put support staff on no-cost paths to become educators. Additional funding for career and technical education educators and the Troops-to-Teachers program that connects veterans with mentor teachers as they work to become certified educators. Finally, a robust investment to guarantee retired teachers have a stable, secure retirement.