Michigan Senate Recesses without Acting on K-12 Funding

The Senate recess capped a week that saw the governor visit with local school board officials, superintendents, educators and parents in Plymouth and Mason, as well as two Lansing events: a Save Our Schools rally on Tuesday at the State Capitol attended by 1,500 people, and a Thursday action by Macomb County parents and school board members who delivered more than 1,000 letters of concern about school funding to their legislators.

Key messages:

• Senate Republicans believe it is more important to support corporate loopholes over public education.  They choose to protect tobacco companies rather than school budgets.  They would rather support oil companies who get a DOUBLE deduction in the tax code.  Senate Republicans are choosing oil and tobacco companies over our kids.
• Michigan schools are hurt by the Senate Republican budget.  Schools will be forced to reduce or eliminate critical education programs, lay off teachers and increase class sizes.
• House Bill 4860 addresses the immediate funding crisis for our K-12 school districts, even though using Recovery Act dollars merely kicks the can down the road and creates a bigger problem for the school aid fund next year.
• The governor will support any funding mechanism that protects schools from harsh cuts, but this one-time funding is the least preferable option. 

Governor Urges State Senate to Keep the Michigan Promise

In her radio address this week, the governor called on the Michigan Senate to take action and keep the Michigan Promise scholarship, the state's first universal college scholarship.

The higher education budget passed by the legislature for this fiscal year included no money for the Promise scholarships.  Since that time, the Michigan House has approved a bill that could restore funding for the Promise scholarship this academic year.  But that legislation now languishes in the Republican-controlled Senate.

Key messages:

• This year, 96,000 students and their parents banked on the Michigan Promise.  They budgeted for the money promised to help them pay for school.

• Breaking the Promise hurts students who were rightfully expecting their scholarship money, and also damages Michigan's economic future.  We need a workforce equipped with the education and training needed for 21st century jobs.
• At this crucial point in Michigan history, we can't afford to shortchange our students.  We need to invest in them through the Michigan Promise scholarship.

Governor to Visit College Campuses to Stand with Students for Promise Scholarships

The governor also mentioned in her radio address that she will be visiting college campuses across Michigan the next two weeks to stand with students and educators in support of the Michigan Promise scholarships.

Her stops will include Michigan State University, Central Michigan University, Western Michigan University, Grand Valley State University, Saginaw Valley State University and Oakland Community College.

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