Whitmer hails historic school aid budget; her own party pushes back

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a Jan. 7 press release that the 2026 school aid budget includes record per‑pupil funding. But that news is not sitting well with some Democrats and educators who have been critical of the state’s history of funding public schools.

“Here in Michigan, we’re connecting our kids with the tools they need to learn, grow, and thrive whether they’re in pre-K or their senior year,” Whitmer said of the 2026 school budget that she signed on on Oct. 7, 2025.

“That includes record per-pupil funding of more than $10,000 for every child in every school, free breakfast and lunch for all to save parents almost $1,000 a year per kid, and record investments to help kids read,” she added.

Just a week later, the Michigan Department of Education, composed of officials elected separately from the governor, passed a resolution by a vote of 5-2, saying schools were underfunded by $4.5 billion.

“The Michigan Department of Education greatly appreciates the significant increases in recent school budgets passed by the Michigan Legislature and signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer,” Bob Wheaton, the department’s official spokesperson, told Michigan Capitol Confidential in an email.

While those increases have benefited Michigan students, Wheaton said, they do not make up for what he called the underfunding of our schools over the previous two decades.

Rep. Regina Weiss, D-Oak Park, voted no on the school aid budget because she thought it did not provide enough funds for public schools, according to an Oct. 3 press release.

“The consequences of this budget could include the elimination of critical funding to support school safety and mental health needs as well as the elimination of critical positions,” said Weiss in her public statement.

This budget, she added, diverts an additional $400 million from the School Aid Fund to higher education instead of K-12 education.

Weiss did not respond to an email seeking comment.

Although then-state Superintendent Michael F. Rice praised some aspects of the budget, he said that funding alone does not resolve all challenges.

“The budget,” Rice stated in an Oct. 3 press release, “doesn’t fund all the state’s teacher shortage rectification measures. In addition, funding for student mental health and school safety should be enduring.”

Whitmer did not respond to an email seeking comment.