LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Advocates for more public school funding have been clamoring for more money for K-12 schools. That includes such institutions as the Michigan Education Association as well the School Finance Research Foundation and EdTrust-Midwest.
The EdTrust-Midwest released a report in May that stated, “Michigan’s sluggish reading recovery places it in the bottom five states nationally for pandemic learning loss since 2019. In 2024, Michigan ranked 44th in the country for 4th grade reading and 31st for 8th grade math.”
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EdTrust-Midwest is championing a large investment in education.
Republican State Rep. Bryan Posthumus, R-Rockford, has pushed back against that narrative.
“The Michigan education budget has skyrocketed while student performance shrinks,” Posthumus wrote on X. “Why? Because money alone can’t solve our problems. We don’t need more spending – we need better strategy.”
Michigan’s K-12 schools received $14.8 billion in 2018-19, the last year before the pandemic impacted budgets. From 2019-20 through 2024-25, K-12 funding has averaged $19.5 billion a year. That funding increase has been maintained while K-12 student enrollment decreased in this state.
More money. Fewer students. Worse academic results.