Ferndale School Board Passes "Resolution In Support of Full and Equitable Funding of Michigan Schools"

Ferndale School Board Passes “Resolution In Support of Full and Equitable Funding of Michigan Schools”

(Ferndale Schools, June 15, 2024)

Ferndale, MI – The Ferndale Public Schools Board of Education passed a resolution on Tuesday, June 4 in support of full and equitable funding of Michigan Schools. The resolution states:

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of Ferndale Public Schools acknowledges and expresses appreciation for the historic investments in education made by the State of Michigan in the 2023-24 School Aid Fund budget.

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of Ferndale Public Schools recognizes that the State of Michigan education budget must be further increased to address additional needs of Michigan students, school staff, parents, caregivers, and community members.

WHEREAS, in 2018, the School Finance Research Collaborative (SFRC) completed a school finance adequacy study to determine the true cost of ensuring all of Michigan’s students meet state standards. This study was updated in 2021. The report recommended a weighted funding formula for special education students, those living in poverty, English learners, and Career and Technical Education. Additionally, the SFRC study acknowledged the need for additional funding for transportation of students, rural isolation, the state pension system, and adequate facilities.

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of Ferndale Public Schools recognizes that schools in Michigan have been inequitably funded for decades, and continue to be inequitably funded in a manner that makes achieving educational empowerment for all students in the State of Michigan near-impossible.

WHEREAS, the Board of Education of Ferndale Public Schools believes that the resources used to fund Michigan’s schools, primarily taxpayer dollars, should be controlled by community stakeholders and thereby reflect the needs and wishes of said stakeholders.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that:

The Board of Education directs the Board President to send this Resolution to each State Representative and State Senator who represents individuals within the boundaries of the Ferndale Public Schools District, and to the Governor of the State of Michigan, to seek the swift and decisive passing of legislation and accompanying appropriations to fully and equitably fund all public schools in the State of Michigan, which should include but not be limited to the following:

Raise an additional $4.5 billion for Michigan schools via equitable revenue sources, such as progressive taxation.
Annually adjust the per-pupil allowance to account for inflation.
Increase money in the Opportunity Index (section 31a) by 20% (an increase of $186.4 million) so that schools, especially those with concentrated poverty, have more money for quality instruction, behavioral and restorative coaches, early literacy materials, home visits, and attendance interventionists.
Ensure 31aa mental health dollars remain at $300 million and at least half be required to be spent on student mental health.
Restrict 31aa funds so as to not pay for school resource officers (SROs).
Maintain all of the State of Michigan’s Section 147 allocations for FY 2024-2025 and permanently lower the cap of districts’ contributions by 7.06%, freeing up approximately $500 per student for districts to spend on necessary educational staffing and programming.
Commit to lowering the MPSERS district contribution rate in future budgets until the contribution is 0%, in as few years as possible.
Eliminate the requirement that school employees pay 3% of their salaries toward the MPSERS OPEB Trust Fund.
Provide $10 million to fund school transportation for students experiencing foster care or homelessness.
Double the amount of money appropriated for English Learner students from $39 to $80 million.
Provide a $15 million investment in Michigan cities where Black residents are the majority to fund a community-based participatory research study with the goal of better understanding how we retain and recruit Black and Brown teachers, and piloting of culturally-responsive interventions based on this research to thereby increase recruitment and retention of Black and Brown teachers, and increase Black and African-American student achievement.
Invest $2 million to create long-term solutions and interventions within the aforementioned Michigan cities’ respective school districts to address the school to prison pipeline.
Forgive outstanding debt for Flint Community Schools.