SB 517 amends Michigan's school code to clarify how school districts can use bond funds. It allows districts to borrow for physical infrastructure (like buildings, playgrounds, and initial technology hardware/software purchases) but explicitly prohibits using bond proceeds for ongoing technology costs - such as software upgrades, maintenance, training, or repairs. The bill directly affects school districts by restricting their borrowing options for technology-related expenses. It also requires independent audits of bond spending and permits residents to sue if districts violate these rules.
This bill appropriates state funding for K-12 public schools, community colleges, and higher education institutions for the 2025-2027 fiscal years. It allocates specific dollar amounts from various state funds to support public school operations, including general funds, transportation, meals, and student support reserves, while also distributing $493 million to community colleges for operational expenses. The legislation establishes spending priorities that require general fund allocations to be used before state school aid funds, and directs any unspent general fund money to a stabilization fund at the end of each fiscal year.
This bill establishes funding for fiscal year 2026-2027 to support construction, renovation, demolition, and equipment projects for state buildings and facilities. It directly affects state agencies, institutions of higher education, community colleges, and the state building authority by authorizing capital outlay expenditures. The legislation creates an appropriation act to provide the necessary financial resources for these infrastructure projects during the specified fiscal year.
SB 350 would allow Michigan public school students to opt out of the workforce readiness assessment portion of the Michigan Merit Examination. Currently required for high school graduation, this section tests job skills and career readiness; the bill would give students the choice to skip it without academic penalty. The change directly affects students in Michigan public schools who take the exam, which is mandatory for graduation. The bill amends state law (MCL 388.1704b) to create this opt-out option, focusing on student choice in a specific assessment component.
SB 163 is a funding bill that allocates $2.4 billion from Michigan's state general fund for capital outlay projects during fiscal year 2025-2026. It directly provides state funding for construction, renovation, or equipment projects at state-owned properties, public universities (like Michigan State and the University of Michigan), and community colleges (including Lansing Community College and Washtenaw Community College). The bill specifies state shares for 12 projects, such as $22.1 million for Ferris State's Allied Health Building and $9.6 million for Washtenaw Community College's Center for Success. This is a procedural appropriations bill that authorizes spending but does not create new policy or alter existing laws.
SB 165 is a funding bill that allocates $166.4 million in state general funds for Michigan's Department of Education during the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides specific appropriations for key programs including special education services ($9.8 million), Michigan Schools for the Deaf and Blind ($19.4 million), and departmental operations like information technology ($4.9 million). The bill directs state funds to cover salaries, program operations, and essential services across education departments, with additional support from federal and private revenue sources. It directly affects state education programs and administrative functions, ensuring funding continuity for existing services without creating new policies.
SB 164 is a procedural appropriations bill that allocates funding for Michigan's fictional "Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential" for fiscal year 2025-2026. It provides a total of $756.2 million, including $670.8 million for early childhood education programs (like child care licensing and Head Start), $11.8 million for higher education initiatives (including student financial aid), and $60 million for one-time programs like college support services. The funding comes primarily from the state general fund, with additional support from federal and private sources. This bill does not create new policies or affect specific individuals - it simply authorizes how existing state funds will be spent on these education-related services.
SB 167 allocates approximately $2.41 billion in state funds to Michigan's public universities for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The bill specifies exact funding amounts for each institution, including base operations, operational increases, and costs related to the North American Indian tuition waiver program. It details funding sources, with the majority coming from the state general fund. This appropriation directly affects all public universities in Michigan by setting their state funding levels for the upcoming year.
SB 168 allocates state funding for Michigan's 29 community colleges for fiscal year 2025-2026 under the State School Aid Act. It provides a total of $506,504,600, broken down into specific amounts for each college's operations, performance-based funding, and costs related to the North American Indian tuition waiver program. The bill directly affects all Michigan community colleges by determining their state budget allocations for the upcoming fiscal year. This is a funding bill with no new policy provisions beyond budgetary adjustments.
SB 56 adds specific funding allocations to Michigan's School Aid Act for fiscal years 2024-2025. It appropriates $100 from the state school aid fund for public schools, $3.3 million from coronavirus recovery funds for community college academic catch-up programs (for fiscal year 2023-2024 only), and $100 from the general fund for higher education purposes. These provisions directly affect public schools, community colleges, and higher education institutions by providing targeted funding for educational programs. The bill also updates constitutional spending estimates for school aid and higher education funding totals for the 2024-2025 fiscal year.
