Michigan schools facing massive budget cuts

The State of Michigan is facing a $2.39 billion decline in the school aid fund over the next year and a half due to declining tax revenue as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

That would be devastating to public schools, according to State Superintendent Michael Rice. He announced Thursday that unless the federal government provides assistance children will suffer.

“No child asks to grow up during a pandemic, and no child’s education should be harmed because they’re growing up in a pandemic,” Rice said.

Absent federal aid, schools could be forced to layoff staff and teachers. Electives such as art and music could be cut. And extracurricular programs such as sports could be cancelled.

According to an article in Bridge Magazine, some districts are already considering those moves.

That comes at the same time that schools will have to increase expenditures on COVID-19 prevention. Schools will have to spend more time sanitizing facilities and may have to decrease class sizes to contend with social distancing guidelines.

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