NEW: Education Priorities Outlined in Gov. Whitmer’s Proposed Budget for Fiscal Year 25-26  

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer today proposed increasing Michigan’s per-pupil allowance, providing funding to again pay for free school breakfast and lunch for all public school students, and continuing support for mental health services and student safety. 

She also proposed new reporting requirements on how dollars are spent on students with the greatest needs, as well as funding for helping students from low-income backgrounds pay for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and the College-Level Examination Program fees. These were among the priorities proposed in the fiscal year 2025-26 budget released today. 

“EdTrust-Midwest applauds Gov. Whitmer’s focus on education in her budget, including support for students’ mental health services and helping students from low-income backgrounds pay for advanced coursework exam fees,” said Jennifer Mrozowski, senior director of strategic communications and external relations at EdTrust-Midwest. “And we appreciate the governor’s support again for funding to offset school district transportation costs, which will offer needed dollars for rural and other areas which have high transportation costs.” 

“We also laud the Governor for including new language that requires districts to report to parents the amount of funding received through the Opportunity Index; how the district distributed that funding in a way to target buildings with the highest needs; and what evidenced-based interventions were implemented with those dollars,” Mrozowski said. This has been an advocacy priority of EdTrust-Midwest and partners.  

The governor’s budget does not increase the school funding weights for students from low-income backgrounds and multilingual learners, two priorities for EdTrust-Midwest and the Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (MPEO).  

“While the proposed budget importantly increases total per pupil funding, it does not increase the funding weights for students from low-income backgrounds or multilingual learners. We continue to urge policymakers to support fair and adequate school funding so students with the greatest needs have the funding and supports to reach their full academic potential.” 

EdTrust-Midwest and partners recommend fully funding the Opportunity Index and the needs of multilingual learners over a period of five years. The Opportunity Index, passed in 2023, drives more funding for students from low-income backgrounds across the state based on districts’ concentration of poverty. Read more about these priorities here. 

Specifically, the budget included these education priorities: 

• $516 million to increase Michigan’s per pupil allowance to $10,000. This is a 4.1% increase from last year.  
• $42.3 million for students from low-income backgrounds through the Opportunity Index, which drives funding to districts based on concentration of poverty. The proposed budget does not increase the funding weights for students from low-income backgrounds.  
• $2.1 million for funding to support multilingual learners. The proposed budget does not increase the funding weights for multilingual learners.
• $2.2 million to pay for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate and the College-Level Examination Program fees for students from low-income backgrounds. 
• $10 million for FAFSA Completion Challenge grants that support districts to increase FAFSA completion 
• $676.1 million to support state-funded preschool for all 4-year-olds — an increase of about $20.8 million over the current budget 
• $150 million to support for mental health services and student safety 
• $350 million to continue the new Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which offers tuition-free attendance at community colleges for residents who attend the community college district where they live, scholarship support at four-year universities, and funding to support recognized skills certificate attainment.  
• $200 million to continue to provide free school breakfast and lunch for all public school students 
• $125 million to offset school district transportation costs, which will support students in rural and other areas which have high transportation costs