Superintendent: School money boost not enough | Education

ROCKFORD, Mich. (WZZM) -- Governor Rick Snyder says his plan is a financial boost to public schools, but Rockford Superintendent Mike Shibler says after all the cuts over the last several years -- adding 1% -- is a drop in the bucket.

Shibler says, "It's a 1% increase over what we receive today, which is $300 less than what we were receiving in 2008."

Shibler says in 2008 the state gave the district $7,300 per student.  Following cuts, Rockford now has $7,000 per pupil.  Snyder's increase boosts them to $7,100 a student.  That's still $200 shy of the funding they had in 2008.

Shibler says, "They need to keep some money in the rainy day fund. Those are the Governor's words. Well, it's pouring. The rainy day fund is pouring for public schools."

Shibler says the district will also lose money from the all-day kindergarten funding requirement. Currently, the state pays for a full kindergarten day -- even though students go for a half the day. The extra money left over pays for educating high school students.

But under Snyder's plan, if districts don't have a full day of kindergarten, half of that money will be taken away.

"That's all I'm asking during this budget crisis -- hold us harmless," says Shibler. "Don't add these more requirements to us."

Funding increases will be given to schools based on how they perform in subjects like math and reading.