School finance: A confusing conundrum

The Lansing State Journal has an interesting article on April 23rd. It highlights the difficult position that the Waverly and East Lansing School Districts find themselves in. These school districts are part of a group of 40 school districts in the state that are called "20j" districts. These districts have been able to able to have additional revenue, revenue that was not available to all districts in the state. Last year that revenue was cut.

I objected to the way that revenue was cut. The school year had already started, those districts had created a budget anticipating the availability of that revenue, and those districts had not been given any reason to doubt that the "20j" revenue was in peril. Then two months after the school year started those districts learned that the "20j" revenue for the current school year was going to be cut. That was an unconscionable decision by the Governor to do that without providing those districts with enough planning time to do it right.

However, it highlights the disparity in funding between districts in Michigan. In the Lansing State journal article it states that legislation is being introduced that would bring "20j" districts per-pupil funding to the top of the state's funding range, which is currently $8,324 per student.

While that is commendable why would that legislation pass when our district - the Grand Ledge Public Schools - receives a per pupil allocation of $7,261? Why would legislation be introduced that would continue inequity?

I understand that the "20j" districts are being hit harder than other districts. But in our district we are closing schools, laying off teachers, and trying to find ways to continue to provide a quality education with less money. If legislation is introduced to bring some district up to the top of the state's funding range I want my district to be a part of that. If our per pupil allocation were raised to $8,324, our district would have an additional 5.5 million dollars a year.

School funding in Michigan has a structural problem. They system is broken. Instead of creating stop-gap, individual district fixes the whole system needs to be re-examined. Now is the time to do that.