ISSE at Eastern Michigan University

As school districts across Michigan prepare to cut millions of dollars from their budgets, opposition is rising among parents, teachers, and other school employees. In the past week, many school boards held meetings to unveil job cuts, school closures, privatizations, and other stinging cuts.

With the highest unemployment rate in the nation and revenue from sales and property taxes continuing to fall, the state’s public education aid fund has a projected $400 million shortfall in fiscal year 2010-2011. Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm has so far ordered per-pupil funding cuts totaling some $430 and still steeper cuts are projected next year, with some estimates ranging up to $1,000 per-pupil in funding, after the limited federal stimulus aid dries up.