This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
While lawmakers advanced a range of education policy proposals this week, the likely impact of the legislation being moved is minimal, marginal, or both; meanwhile, public budget discussions remained quiet this week, leaving stakeholders hopeful that budget chairs and legislative leaders are using the relative silence to continue the behind-the-scenes work necessary to reach an eventual spending agreement…in other words, lots of things happened but little got done. On Tuesday, the Senate…
This Week in Politics in (Technically) 5 Sentences (not Fewer)
Districts impacted by late-season snowstorms, flooding, and even one community water main break will receive additional forgiven days under HB 5797, which cleared the Senate this week and is headed to Governor Whitmer for her signature…the bill will provide four additional forgiven days and hours for districts located wholly or partially within a lengthy list of mostly northern Michigan counties forced to cancel school March 12-13 and March 16-17 and an additional…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
Michigan’s May Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) painted an increasingly complicated picture for Michigan schools heading into final budget negotiations, with the School Aid Fund projected to carry roughly a $2.1 billion balance into FY 2026-27 even as the General Fund faces an estimated $1 billion shortfall, including roughly $850 million in ongoing structural imbalance. At the same time, both School Aid and General Fund revenues are projected to grow more slowly…
May CREC 2026: Stable Balances, Shrinking Buying Power, Falling Enrollment
Michigan’s May 2026 Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference (CREC) produced a school finance outlook that depends heavily on how you read the numbers. Viewed from the balance sheet, things look fairly stable. The School Aid Fund (SAF) continues to grow modestly and is projected to reach nearly $19.65 billion in FY 2026-27. Revenue estimates also came in slightly above January projections for both the School Aid Fund and General Fund. But two other…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
The Legislature took another step this week to reduce high-stakes standardized testing in Michigan, with the House unanimously concurring in HB 4556 and HB 4557, sponsored by Representatives Koleszar and Kunse, and sending them to the Governor for signature, eliminating the SAT Essay beginning in spring 2027 and removing the requirement that MME scores be included on student transcripts. These changes will reduce state-mandated testing time by approximately one hour and allow…
Senate, House Put Forward Budget Proposals
This week, the Michigan House and Senate put forward their 2026-27 School Aid budget proposals, marking the next important step in the state's budget process. While both chambers included a 2.5% increase in the foundation allowance and somewhat larger increases to most weighted funding, the similarities on major points largely stop there. The Senate proposal includes a shift toward a weighted foundation model for At-Risk and English Language Learner (ELL) funding, similar…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
Michigan lawmakers took another step to scale back 11th grade assessment requirements this week, as the Senate approved HB 4556 and HB 4557 by a 24–9 vote—the bills would eliminate the SAT essay portion of the Michigan Merit Examination and remove the requirement that student MME scores appear on their transcripts, with a House concurrence vote now the final step before the bills head to the governor for signature. Paired with the…
Administrator Mentor Coaching Requirements and Available Grant Support
Michigan now requires districts to provide mentor support for all school administrators, excluding superintendents, within their first three years in a new position. With dedicated grant funding from MDE becoming available soon, districts have an opportunity to align compliance with meaningful leadership development. MASSP’s Strengthening Leaders Program is ready to partner with you to provide mentor-coaches and support building confident, capable leaders. As districts and school leaders begin planning for the 2026–27…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
This week the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid dug into the issue of sometimes sizeable fines that schools are facing for placing educators outside their areas of certification or endorsement, even if those situations are due to clerical errors or other staffing mistakes, hearing testimony from superintendents who described districts being penalized tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for paperwork issues involving otherwise qualified educators. Representatives from the Michigan…
This Week in Politics in 5 Sentences (or Fewer)
This week the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid heard testimony from MASSP’s Bob Kefgen, delivered in collaboration with MASA, urging lawmakers to move Michigan toward a weighted per-pupil funding system that ties dollars more directly to student need while reducing the red tape and reporting requirements created by our current patchwork of categorical programs. For building administrators, the practical significance is that such a system would make school funding more stable…