As schools see record budget, prominent Democrat says that’s not enough

Michigan schools are underfunded by $4.5 billion, Democratic members of the state Board of Education member said in an October resolution.

The resolution, brought to the board by Mitchell Robinson, endorsed the Invest in MI Kids proposal, which would amend the Michigan Constitution to double the state income tax rate on high earners.

But measures of proficiency and classroom attainment indicate that massive spending hikes do not lead to better education outcomes.

Michigan Senate Democrats praised historic school funding in July 2023, but that sentiment did not last long.

“For the first time in Michigan, a historic education budget has been passed by legislators who truly understand the importance of investing in Michigan schools,” according to the statement.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also welcomed those bills.

“These commonsense, bipartisan bills will help us build a brighter future for Michigan by making key investments in our schools, students, and teachers,” Whitmer said after an additional $125 million was added to the education budget in 2024.

But just a year later, Robinson’s resolution said this was not enough.

The resolution, passed 5-2 during a board meeting, says that public education is underfunded by $4.5 billion. It cites a report by the Education Law Center, a New Jersey-based nonprofit.

The center is largely funded by education unions.

The report is essentially based on a 2018 school adequacy study, said Jarrett Skorup, vice president of marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

That study concluded that Michigan needed a foundation allowance of $9,600 per student.

Skorup told CapCon in an email that the study did not include federal funding – of which lower-income districts receive a larger share.

The state has surpassed the $9,600 threshold called for the in 2018 study.

“With 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, free pre-K and free community college for all, and even more literacy support, we’re making sure every student has the tools and opportunities they need to succeed right here in Michigan without breaking the bank,” Whitmer said in an Oct. 7 press release.

The governor did not include federal money in her accounting. The amount of federal per-pupil spending Michigan will receive in 2026 won’t be available until later this year, said Molly Macek, education policy expert at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

Between 2015 and 2022 the state school aid budget increased by $5 billion, from $12.1 billion to $17.1 billion, according to the House Fiscal Agency.

There is no statistically significant difference between Michigan’s proficiency rates and those of many other states, according to Bob Wheaton, spokesperson for the Michigan Department of Education.

The state is ranked in 44th place for reading proficiency, according to the latest National Assessment of Education Progress.

The governor conceded early this year that more money has not improved education outcomes.

“We spend more, and we get less,” Whitmer said during her 2025 State of the State address in February. “It’s not acceptable for our kids. Let’s do better. Let’s face our literacy crisis with fierce urgency.”

Robinson did not respond to an email seeking comment.