Education (School Funding)

HB 4868 creates supplemental funding for Michigan school districts to support English language learners (ELLs) starting in the 2026 fiscal year. To qualify, districts must administer the WIDA ACCESS or WIDA Alternate ACCESS proficiency test to ELLs. Funding is distributed based on test scores: 75% of the target foundation allowance for scores 1.0-1.9, 50% for 2.0-2.9, and 35% for 3.0-3.9. This directly affects school districts serving ELLs who meet the assessment requirements under Michigan’s School Code.

HB 4802 allocates over $12.8 million in supplemental funding for Michigan's rural school districts for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It creates two distinct funding streams: $3.89 million for districts with fewer than 250 students and specific geographic isolation (e.g., Upper Peninsula locations >30 miles from other schools or island districts), and $8.38 million for districts with low population density (<10 pupils per square mile) or large land area (>250 square miles). Eligible districts must meet defined criteria, and funds are distributed based on financial need through a cooperative spending plan developed with intermediate superintendents. The bill amends existing school aid appropriation language (sections 11 and 22d of the State School Aid Act) to implement these targeted payments.

SB 77 allocates $6.7 million from the general fund to implement mobile panic alert systems in all public and nonpublic schools for the 2024-2025 school year, as required by existing law (MCL 380.1308c). The funds are designated as a "work project" with unspent balances carrying forward to 2025-2026, aiming for full system implementation by September 30, 2027. This bill specifically addresses school safety funding without creating new requirements, directly affecting Michigan schools' ability to meet existing panic alert system mandates. The allocation is part of broader education funding under Section 11 of the State School Aid Act.

HB 4162 allocates $17.77 billion in state and federal funds for Michigan's K-12 public schools for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, primarily from the state school aid fund and other designated trust funds. It sets a new target per-student funding level of $10,025 and establishes a formula to calculate each school district's foundation allowance based on the previous year's funding, inflation (using the Consumer Price Index), and the target amount. School districts with funding below the target receive adjusted increases, while those above the target see smaller raises tied to inflation. The bill directly affects all public school districts by determining their state funding allocation through this updated formula.

SB 166 allocates funding for K-12 public schools in the state for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It directly affects all public K-12 school districts by providing their state education budget. The bill establishes the specific financial amounts schools will receive during this fiscal period. It became law on October 7, 2025, with immediate effect (PA 0015'25).