More School Districts Paying Their Bills Without Debt

In a recent column on the MLive news site, Tim Skubick wrote about Rep. Al Pscholka, R-Stevensville, and the politician’s comments about "taking a look at" Proposal A, which establishes how public schools are paid for in Michigan.

Skubick wrote: "The debate is also driven by other districts that have their own financial challenges."

ForTheRecord says: The number of Michigan public school districts that had to borrow to cover regular expenses (“in deficit”) is at a six-year low at 36. This is down from 55 in June of 2013. At that time, then-Superintendent Mike Flanagan predicted the figure could soon be 100. There are a combined 900 conventional public schools, charter schools and intermediate school districts.

State public school funding has been rising, and more school districts are staying within budgets they've based on realistic revenue projections. The districts are accomplishing this even in the face of continuous increases in payments they have had to pay to the school pension system.