Featured photo: Holmes STEM Middle School Academy is a public, magnet school located in Flint.
LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer proclaimed February 21-25 as Public Schools Week in Michigan and reiterated her commitment to making historic investments in K-12 education so students can succeed.
“Every kid has a birthright to a phenomenal public education in a safe school where they can learn and grow,” said Whitmer. “I’m proud of the historic investments we have made in Michigan’s public schools without raising taxes. We should build on these efforts to put Michigan students first this year with another budget making the highest per-student funding ever, retaining and recruiting thousands more teachers and staff, and investing $1 billion in school construction and renovation.”
Education Investments in the Governor’s proposed FY 2023 Budget:
- $18.4 billion investment in education—the most in Michigan history.
- Highest ever per-student funding—$9,135 for every kid in every district to improve their classroom experience. More personalized learning, new textbooks and equipment, smaller class sizes, and more extracurriculars, AP and honors classes.
- A $2,000 bonus for every school employee—teacher, aides, parapros, custodians, administration, bus drivers, cafeteria workers—this fall and another $2,000 bonus for staff that come back to their district in 2023.
- $11,000 in total bonuses for teachers and certified school staff including school social workers and nurses who stick with their districts for four years.
- $1 billion for school construction and renovations. Funds to improve air and water quality and build or refurbish classrooms, cafeterias, gyms, and more. Resources to improve classrooms for students to learn math, science, computer science and technology.
- Grants to make schools safer for students and staff in the classroom.
- Enhanced support for special education, economically disadvantaged students, rural districts and English language learners.
- Growing career and technical education to put more young Michiganders on paths to good-paying jobs.
- Free preschool under the Great Start Readiness Program for all eligible 4-year-olds
- Resources to hire and train 10,000 new teachers, hundreds of on-campus mental health professionals.
- Open 40 school-based health clinics to serve 20,000 students.
View the full proclamation here.
