Michigan hasn’t defunded education

A Michigan lawmaker claims the state is defunding education, but a review of recent budget history shows otherwise.

“For far too long the legislature has slowly defunded education,” Rep. Jaime Churches, D-Wyandotte, wrote on her campaign website. “If we do not make necessary changes, we will not be able to retain highly effective educators to teach our students.”

Per-pupil school revenue from state sources was $7,440 in 2011-12, according to official data assembled by the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. That amount reached $12,653 in the 2022-23 year.

Total education expenditures were $18.5 billion in the 2010-11 school year, and the comparable figure for 2022-23 was $27.3 billion.

Churches also called for “the exploration of Universal Pre-K,” writing, “This would make learning to read more equitable for all families and increase literacy exposure and development for all Michiganders.”

Former Gov. Jennifer Granholm called for increasing pre-K funding to $300 million in 2008.

In the 2025 budget, Michigan allocates $655.2 million to the Great Start Readiness program, a state preschool program. It also includes $19.4 million for early childhood block grants and $23.7 million for what the budget calls ”early on” services for children from birth to three years old. Preschool programs also benefit from state funding for school lunches.

Churches did not respond to an email seeking comment.