The Detroit News: State lawmakers working to lessen cut to K-12 education

By Kyle Feldscher Crime and courts reporter

Posted on Wed, May 18, 2011 : 12:20 p.m.

A budget agreement is in the works that would lessen the blow to K-12 school districts from Gov. Rick Snyder's proposed budget, The Detroit News reports. The new plan reduces the proposed $300 per-pupil cut to a $100 per-pupil cut, the article said.

The report cites Ari Adler, a spokesman for House speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, as saying lawmakers will put approximately $310 million into K-12 education funding after receiving news earlier this week that revenues to the state were higher than anticipated.

However, the money wouldn't be coming with no strings attached. The report said school districts would have to agree to adopt "best practices" such as putting a cap on health-care coverage for employees. Details are still being worked out as to what the "best practices" would be, according to the report.

In his proposed budget in February, Snyder included a new $300 per-pupil cut to K-12 school districts in addition to a $170 per-pupil cut enacted this year that would not be restored. School districts are also facing increased retirement costs of $230 per pupil.

To read the full report in The Detroit News, click here.