Snyder Announces State Budget Priorities

Feb 10, 2017

Gov. Rick Snyder unveiled a budget proposal on Wednesday that includes modest education spending increases for fiscal year 2018, including an additional $50-100 in K-12 per-pupil allowances and an added $50 per student for high schools.

Other boosts to K-12 spending in Snyder's plan would add $150 million in "at-risk" spending and $33 million to pay for early literacy coaches at intermediate school districts and assist teachers and districts in implementing strategies to improve third grade reading levels. 

Community colleges would receive only a .6 percent increase in funding under the governor's proposal, while universities would get a 2.5 percent boost - half of it guaranteed and the other half provided only if they hold tuition increases to 3.8 percent or less. 

Snyder presented his budget to the joint Senate and House Appropriations Committees. Both chambers must agree on a spending plan, and Republican lawmakers have called for tax cuts which are not a part of Snyder's budget. 

The governor also did not include any new efforts to raid the School Aid Fund in this budget, as he did in proposing a funding shift during the lame duck legislative session in December that would have led to a $400 million fund loss.  For more information click here.