As Michigan lawmakers push their ideas for funding schools, district leaders urge inflationary increases

Michigan school superintendents are making modest budget requests for the upcoming fiscal year, primarily seeking funding increases that keep pace with inflation and an end to diverting School Aid Fund money to higher education. While state leaders have celebrated recent record funding increases, superintendents note these amounts have not matched inflation rates, meaning schools' actual purchasing power has declined even as energy, insurance, transportation, and supply costs have risen. The Republican-controlled House and Democratic-controlled Senate have released competing budget proposals that differ significantly on key issues, particularly regarding weighted funding for vulnerable students and controversial policy provisions.