Federal Sequestration Could Cost Bloomfield Hills Schools

Federal funding for Michigan’s public school districts—including the Bloomfield Hills School—could see major cuts should the $85 billion in "sequestration" spending cuts scheduled to take hold Friday morning take effect, according to a recent statement from the White House.

In Michigan, the cuts would result in a loss of $22 million in funding for schools this year, which the White House estimates would “put around 300 teacher and aid jobs at risk.” It would also cut $20.3 million in funding for special education programs.

It's still unclear what the impact of the proposed cuts would have on students and staff in the Bloomfield Hills Schools. District spokeswoman Shira Good said that Tina Kostiuk, assistant superintendent of business services, was still investigating the possible changes to this year's budget on Thursday.

"Fingers crossed that we don’t get to that point," she said.

In nearby Birmingham, the school district could stand to lose up to $1.8 million if sequestration occurs.

Officials told Birmingham Patch that it already received nearly $1.2 million of the $3 million it planned to get from the federal government in the way of Medicaid reimbursements, special education funds and school lunch subsidies. The remaining $1.8 million may not come with the anticipated cuts during sequestration.

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Of Interest: Sequestration Budget Cuts: Where Do Federal Employees Work in Oakland County?

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Michigan programs in danger

The loss in education funding are just part of the impact that President Barack Obama said the cuts would have on Michigan jobs, services and health care.

On Sunday, the White House released a state-by-state breakdown of the kind of impacts the spending cuts could have, urging Congress to consider tax hikes for the nation's wealthiest citizens in order to balance out spending cuts.

In Michigan, they include:

• Loss of $22 million in funding for primary and secondary education
• Loss of $20.3 million in funds for about 240 teachers, aides and staff who work with children with disabilities
• Fewer financial aid packages for nearly 2,500 students, and less work-study jobs
• The elimination of Head Start and Early Head Start services for 2,300 children
• A loss of $5.9 million in environmental funding, plus $1.5 million in grants for wildlife protection
• The furlough of 10,000 civilian Department of Defense employees and loss of $14 million in army base operation funding
• Loss of $482,000 in Justice Assistance Grants for local law enforcement agencies
• Loss of $1.7 million in funding for job search assistance
• Loss of access to childcare for as many as 900 children
• Reduced funding of $301,000 for childhood vaccines
• Loss of $944,000 in funds for public health planning efforts, as well as $2.9 million in grants for substance abuse treatment, and $315,000 in funding for the Michigan Department of Community Health
• Loss of up to $209,000 in funds for domestic violence victim services
• Loss of $1.8 million in funds for meals for seniors.

The total federal spending cuts would be about $1.2 trillion over the next nine years.