EdTrust-Midwest Testifies on the Need to Increase Funding for the Opportunity Index

EdTrust-Midwest’s Director of Government Affairs, Jeff Cobb, testified before the Senate Appropriations PreK-12 Subcommittee about the need to invest in students from low-income backgrounds.

He praised the work of the legislature for creating the Opportunity Index in 2023 while focusing on the need to increase funding for the Index, which drives additional funding to districts based on concentration of poverty. “I’m asking you to continue this momentum,” Cobb said. “The Opportunity Index is an important start but unfortunately remains underfunded by about $2 billion.”

During the testimony, Cobb emphasized that it takes time for a system like the Opportunity Index to yield results, requiring a long-term commitment by the state. He said it takes time to hire and train teachers and staff and make improvements to curriculum. Cobb also discussed the need for transparency and accountability on how the funding is being spent.

GO DEEPER:
PRESS RELEASE: Michigan Makes History as it Joins Nation’s Leaders in Investing More in Districts Facing Concentrated Poverty