Dear Neighbor,
As your state Senator and a former teacher, I know the importance of making sure Michigan’s children receive the best education possible. Receiving additional support in the classroom and having access to programs that make getting a college degree more accessible opens the doors of opportunity and sets our kids up for future success. I’m fighting every day to make sure we’re prioritizing funding for our schools so our children and our state will have a more promising tomorrow. I wanted to give you some updates on what we’ve been doing in Lansing to prioritize Michigan students everywhere.
In this newsletter, I am proud to share how we are continuing to build on historic budget investments in Michigan’s students and schools, information about financial aid programs offered through the state and federal government, some great tips on how to foster your child’s academic success, and more.
If there’s anything I can do to help you and your family, please feel free
to reach out to me and my office. If we cannot help you, we will direct you to the appropriate department or resources that can.
You can contact me toll-free at (855) 347-8004, by email at SenDCamilleri@senate.michigan.gov, or through my website online at SenatorCamilleri.com.
I look forward to hearing from you!
In Solidarity,
Darrin Camilleri
State Senator
District 4
Michigan’s people-focused 2024 state budget saw historic investments in our students, teachers, and schools. With the 2025 budget, my Michigan Senate colleagues and I focused on continuing to build on the investments and momentum we started in 2024. With this funding, we can ensure we are meeting the needs and interests of students, teachers and other education professionals, and families everywhere.
The Senate prioritized the input of residents, communities, and organizations from around the state, using those perspectives to craft this budget. It’s clear there is a continuous, overwhelming need to invest in Michigan schools to ensure all students receive a high-quality education and the support they need to stay successful throughout their time in school and beyond.
Learn More!
For the most up-to-date information about the 2025 Pre-K-12 and Higher Education budgets, please visit senatedems.com/budget.
Last year, the Michigan Legislature passed Senate Bill 12 to reform Michigan’s punitive third grade reading law. The bill eliminates the mandatory retention of third graders based on one reading test while maintaining vital literacy supports and services.
Research on this in other states shows that the method has little or no impact on student achievement, and in fact, it may negatively impact long-term student outcomes, including mental health. In addition to grade retention not helping kids read, there is also evidence that the retention piece of the law is implemented inequitably in Michigan, with Black and Latino students, students from lower income families, and students in lower-performing districts more likely to be retained.
This bill focuses on eliminating the state-mandated retention piece but does not affect the parts of the “Read by Grade Three” law that provide coaching, professional development, and interventions for struggling readers beginning in kindergarten. Since the initial law’s passage in 2016, those parts of the law have produced increased achievement for English Language Arts and will continue to serve students in the future. This legislation ensures Michigan students have the reading support they need to succeed without the threat of retention.
Filling out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can save you thousands of dollars a year off the cost of community, private, or public college. You can unlock grants, scholarships, and other assistance to put you on the path to higher education right here in Michigan.
It’s the best way to figure out your next step after high school, and that’s why I was proud to sponsor Senate Bill 463 to require universal FAFSA completion for graduating seniors in Michigan with several key opt-outs for families who are not interested in or cannot fill it out.
This legislation has not yet passed the House, but I will continue pushing for it so all Michigan students can realize their full potential and stop leaving nearly $100 million in federal aid on the table every year.
One of the new ways you can save money is through the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, a bipartisan scholarship established to lower the cost of community, private, or public college by thousands of dollars a year — up to $27,500 over five years — for most graduating seniors.
All you need to do to qualify for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship is fill out your FAFSA — that’s it. Visit fafsa.gov to fill out your information.
In addition to filling out your FAFSA, students can apply for grants and scholarships through the MI Student Aid’s website.
Access your MI Student Aid Portal:
Michigan.gov/missg
A healthy, nutritious diet is crucial for students of all ages to be successful in the classroom and beyond. I believe every student deserves to learn with a full stomach, which is why I am proud to have worked with my Democratic colleagues to pass a budget for the 2024 fiscal year that included a $160 million allocation to provide universal school meals for Michigan students. The allocation secured a year of free school breakfasts and lunches. For 2025, we are looking to go a step further and ensure the provision becomes a permanent one to continue making schools a safe and equitable place for all students who come hungry both to eat and to learn.