NORTHERN MICHIGAN -- Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance
A letter sent by eight local chambers urges Governor Rick Snyder to be fair in funding schools.
The letter supports the Governor's plan to re-invest in the education of Michigan students, but the Northern Michigan Regional Chamber Alliance wants lower-based funded schools here in Northern Michigan to be on a more-level playing field when funds are handed out.
The Alliance wants one thing: consistent and equitable funding for schools.
"We are going to continue to put pressure on the legislators and the governor to really look at this and make sure they look at this as they restructure the funding models across the state," says Doug DeYoung, Vice President of Government Relations at the Traverse City Chamber of Commerce.
Local schools have had their per-pupil funding slashed. This year for example, Petoskey sees 470 fewer dollars per student. The chamber alliance urges Governor Rick Snyder to follow 1994's Proposal 'A' when dishing out additional funds, following the 2X Formula Funding Model and giving two-times the funding to lower-based funded schools, like Petoskey and Traverse City.
“We need to close the funding gap and allow for schools in Northern Michigan to be able to provide some of the same programs that the higher funded schools offer," says DeYoung.
“The chambers have worked to support us throughout, but just for them to recognize and support the equity issue that isn't equitable, I mean the actual dollar amount per pupil across the state, although Proposition 'A' helped close that gap, it's still pretty wide," says Dr. John Scholten, Superintendent at Petoskey Public Schools.
Scholten tells me the 2X formula probably isn't the end all, answer all, but he says it will help bridge the gap between some of the richer districts and districts like Petoskey. And at this point, any extra dollar helps.
And for local districts that are struggling, they say the local community support and now the alliance's letter to the Governor show schools are a top priority.
“It's nice to have the chamber's continued support. Public education is kind of the bedrock foundation for a solid community," says Scholten.
Superintendent Scholten says the Governor's incentives programs also do help.
This year, the district expects to receive a one-time additional $100 per pupil for meeting the incentives, but they are still a long ways away from the funding that he says will make the district healthy.
Click on the link to read the letter sent to Governor Snyder.
