The governor spoke with education leaders about the concerns during a roundtable meeting.
By Melissa Smith
Monday, November 02, 2009 at 8:58 p.m.
Read more: Local, State, Economy, Business, Community, Education, Governor Granholm, Education Funding, TCAPS
TRAVERSE CITY -- It was a chance for northern Michigan school leaders to speak face to face with Governor Granholm about everything from individual school budget concerns to recent per pupil cuts. The closed door meeting Monday afternoon provided the governor a chance to address these exact issues.
"I wanted to know if the level of cuts that are facing them is it something they can handle, or is it something we've got to stop right away," says Governor Granholm.
The governor says part of the answer to fixing the funding concerns for schools statewide includes short and long term plans. These plans include school districts sharing services in order to prevent elimination of academic classes and programs.
"There are reforms that need to happen, however too. It's not just about getting revenue. It's also about making sure that we are doing everything we can to allow school districts to share services, to work together to collaborate," says Governor Granholm.
Area school superintendents say although there isn't a simple solution to the funding crisis, it is a relief to have the governor here in northern Michigan speaking directly to them.
"TCAPS is facing a $300 per pupil reduction, that's $3 million. So, we discussed the impact of those cuts...So, we appreciate that somebody is recognizing our pain and discomfort," says superintendent of Traverse City Area Public Schools, Jim Feil.
"I think the governor came up with a real concern of the recent cuts that have been imposed on all of the districts in our region and looking for ways to try and close that so we can go on and not look at additional cuts," says superintendent of Frankfort-Elberta Area Schools, Tom Stobie.
"It was a relief to us to know that she had come up here to northwest lower Michigan to get a different perspective because we often feel that the perspective that we have is so far different than what they hear in Lansing," says superintendent of Suttons Bay Schools, Mike Murray.
