LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – The constant drumbeat for more money for Michigan’s K-12 public schools continue with a group called the Michigan Education Justice Coalition proposing a tax on the state’s wealthiest residents that would be used to fund schools.

“For years, Michigan’s schools have been chronically underfunded,” the Michigan Education Justice Coalition claims on its website.

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Proponents for more funding for K-12 schools play down that public schools for years have been getting more and more money to educate fewer and fewer students.

K-12 funding has increased from $14 billion in 2016-17 to $20.6 billion in 2024-25, while enrollment has dropped from 1.53 million to 1.42 million over that time.

Due to the pandemic, public schools have received unprecedented levels of funding. K-12 schools received a total of $14.8 billion in 2018-19, the last year before the pandemic hit. Since then, the total amount of K-12 funding has increased to $16.0 billion, $21.7 billion, $17.1 billion, $20.2 billion, $21.6 billion and $20.6 billion.

Despite the increase in funding, the student academic results on standardized testing has been disappointing.

According to MLive, the Michigan Education Justice Coalition is supporting a statewide ballot initiative that would tax Michigan’s richest residents and earmark that money for K-12 education. The plan would implement a 5% surcharge on incomes over $500,000 on an individual and $1 million on couples. The plan could raise $1 billion a year.