Schools

Michigan House OKs Cuts to Education, But Still Not Finalized

The GOP-led House agrees to cut public education funding by nearly $300 per student, on top of an already approved $170 cut.

The state House narrowly passed nearly $1 billion in cuts to K-12 public education Thursday with a 57-53 vote. The cuts equate to nearly $300 per pupil, on top of the $170 per pupil cut that was approved over the summer.

The cuts also include a 15 percent decrease in state funding to community colleges and university budgets.

The bill the House passed must be reconciled with the differences in the Senate bill. The cuts cannot be adopted until then.

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"We continue to work around the clock to try to stop the GOP-controlled Legislature from cutting vital education funding that helps students, but we need your help," the MEA said in a statement Thursday night.

The Ferndale School District is running in the black, but when Gov. Rick Snyder proposed these cuts back in February, Ferndale Superintendent Gary Meier said it would be a million dollar hit on the district.

Find out what's happening in Ferndalewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"These are very aggressive state funding reductions," . "It will be difficult to balance the budget, but it's still too early to tell."

Check back to Ferndale Patch for more details regarding public education cuts.


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