School officials discuss the potential impacts of the state's education budget

• Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the 23 billion dollar education budget into law just under a month ago. School representatives are saying there might be impacts to our local schools.
• Local school districts finalize their school in June to start their fiscal year on July 1st but base their spending on the state. The state budget was finalized on June 28th.
• Video shows school officials discussing the potential impacts that it has on our local schools and what changes they are looking for from our state legislators.

"That type of a change, significant change is pretty impactful."
Late changes to the state's education budget are impacting our neighborhood schools in a variety of ways says school officials.

As students return to the classroom very soon, many education leaders around our neighborhoods remain hard at work...

"Almost every district in the state had already passed their budget prior to June 28th which is when the budget came out," Mellema said.

But now, Ingham Intermediate School District Superintendent Jason Mellema is taking a second look after numbers changed during negotiations of Governor Gretchen Whitmer's 23-billion-dollar education budget.

WATCH INTERVIEW WITH INGHAM INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT JASON MELLEMA

"There's line items for students with special needs, there's line items for students with mental health supports, items for safety."
And here's the issue...

JM SOT "The governor estimated there would be 300 million dollars, the house estimated 150 million and the senate estimated about 150 million."

What they received: 26 million dollars.

So now budgets are trying to figure out what changes they can make to adjust the reduction in per-pupil spending on mental health and school safety.

Mellema says the ISD has already considered some adjustments in the upcoming school year.

"A person who would assist countywide for emergency drill management and training and now that reduction of funding, we won't be able to have that position moving forward," Mellema said.

Mellema says the district will continue focusing funding on children's mental health, but he understands that there could be more changes ahead.

"How can we as school districts work with our legislators to consider an aspect for example a supplemental budget,"

That's an idea the Michigan Education Association has strongly supported.

Thomas Morgan, a spokesperson for the MEA, wants state legislators to pass a supplemental budget to make sure children are safe in the school system.

WATCH INTERVIEW WITH MEA SPOKESPERSON THOMAS MORGAN

"We're working with the Governor and the legislature to hopefully pass a back-to-school supplemental budget that provides additional funding for student mental health so we can help ensure that every child that needs help can get help," Morgan said.

Superintendent Mellema agrees that working with state legislators in the future will be best at achieving the goal everyone wants: protecting our kids.

"I would love to work with them to figure out some solutions moving forward," Mellema said.

There are ongoing conversations about the supplemental budget but nothing has been finalized.

READ PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Gov. Whitmer signs $23.4 Billion education budget into law
• A look into the 83 billion dollar state budget passed for the upcoming fiscal year
• Money, Money, Money: It's Budget Season in the Capitol

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