LANSING, Mich. (July 1, 2022) — Sen. Dayna Polehanki (D-Livonia) has issued the following statement regarding today’s passage of the K-12 school aid budget for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which includes a $450 per pupil increase for school districts and significant investments in teacher recruitment:
“After Senate Democrats introduced legislation last week to support and grow our teacher base here in Michigan, I’m glad to see much of it prioritized in the state budget today. Years of inadequate funding of public education have led to a teacher pipeline crisis. So, I’m heartened that the ideas we put forward last week are being funded today, as Michigan children deserve to have a high-quality teacher in front of them.”
Specific investments funded in the K-12 budget include the following initiatives:
- MI Future Educator: $25 million, with $280 million set aside in reserve, for MI Future Educator Fellowships, which will pay tuition costs up to $10,000 per year for eligible students enrolled in eligible educator preparation programs.
- MI Future Educator Student Teacher Stipends: An annual $50 million earmarked for MI Future Educator Student Teacher stipends to pay eligible student teachers $9,600 per semester for their work as student teachers.
- Grow-Your-Own Programs: $175 million for districts and intermediate school districts to implement programs providing no-cost pathways for support staff to become certified teachers.
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