LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has revealed plans for the future budget which include a $300 million proposal which would provide personalized tutoring to every K – 12 student in the state.  

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Her proposed budget, which will be revealed in full detail on Feb. 8, also will include tens of millions of dollars in proposed funding to support literacy according to the Detroit Free Press. 

“After a tough couple of years, our kids need additional support to catch up and get on track for long-term success,” Whitmer said in a statement. 

Additionally, she said her “MI Kids Back on Track” program, first proposed last year, “will offer every child in Michigan personalized learning support that meets their needs.”

According to the Free Press, the budget proposal which still requires the approval from the Legislature, would include: 

  • $300 million for the MI Kids Back on Track tutoring program
  • $90 million to support summer school in 2023
  • Funding of $42 million for literacy coaches, which is up $10.5 million from the current year and would guarantee one additional literacy coach for each intermediate school district, for a total of three literacy coaches per ISD.
  • Literacy grants to school districts totaling $34.4 million, which is up $14.5 million from this year, designed to provide additional instructional time to young pupils who need extra help.
  • New funding of $1.2 million for 10 “regional literacy hubs” intended to improve equal access to literacy supports and improve outcomes.
  • A new $2 million “Parents are Teachers” program, distributed through the literacy hubs, to expand parental knowledge of literacy instruction and increase participation in opportunities and programs. The program will pay for outreach materials to partner with parents on early literacy skills and not involve direct payments to parents, a spokesman said.
  • A $300-million program over two years to support professional development and curriculum by assessing literacy instruction practices and developing improvement plans.
  • Through the Detroit literacy lawsuit settlement, $94.4 million to fund literacy programs in Detroit Public Schools Community District.
  • $5 million in continued funding to train AmeriCorps volunteers to be literacy tutors in school buildings.
  • At the early childhood education level, $4 million for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, which provides books by mail to families.
  • An increase of $15 million in funding for adult literacy programs, bringing that total to $45.5 million.

As recently as the Governor’s State of the State address, she called upon lawmakers to fund her “MI Kids Back on Track” tutoring proposal by the next spring break, which was first unveiled last year. 

Michigan has suffered in math and reading scores in numerous grades, and has sunk to the 10th and 11th positions for worst state for low income students performance in 4th grade according to a recent report released by The Education Trust-Midwest, Michigan based nonprofit.  

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The Legislature is also considering other educational policy such as altering the Read By Grade Three Law, and possibly removing the retention requirement for students who do not pass grade level reading tests.