Lawmakers OK Distribution Plan as Session Winds Down (MI)

December 7, 2010

Michigan schools may be in line toget a slice of the federal money set aside for the state this summer through adistribution plan approved Wednesday by the state Senate.

The plan would give Michigan’shighest-funded school districts anadditional $111 per student this academic year. Michigan’s lowest-fundeddistricts would get $222 more per student, with districts in the middle ofthose two extremes getting money based on a sliding scale.

The proposal, which was passedWednesday in the Republican-led Senate by a 35-1 vote, is a second attempt atdistributing about $246 million in federal money awarded to Michigan schoolsearlier this year. Democratic Gov. Jennifer Gran-holm vetoed a portion of aprevious distribution plan in October, saying it violated federal rules.

The Democratic-led House last monthapproved a school funding distribution plan similar to the one approved by theSenate on Wednesday. The revised bill is expected to be sent to Granholm beforethe Legislature’s so-called lame-duck session comes to an end, likely thisweek.

Granholm is expected to sign thebill once it gets to her desk, spokeswoman Liz Boyd said.