To provide the “template” or “place holder” for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 school aid budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.   Official Text and Analysis.

With the recommendation that the substitute (S-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

To adopt a version of this budget that expresses the fiscal and policy preferences of the Republican-majority in the Senate on various spending items and programs. See Senate-passed version for more, and for details see analysis from the non-partisan Senate Fiscal Agency.

To add $19.6 million in spending for various government preschool programs.

To add $5 million in spending for various government preschool programs.

To add $32 million in spending for a program proposed by Gov. Granholm to use borrowed money to give subsidies to certain lower income school districts so they can close existing high schools and replace them with smaller high schools.

To insert a $100 "placeholder" that could be increased later to pay for a study on how much money is "adequate" in different parts of the state to pay the costs of a student's presence in a public school for a year.

To allow a portion of a $250,000 grant for establishing school "international baccalaureate" programs to be given to an existing program.

To revise the allocation of differential funding increases to school discricts that currently spend more than or less than $8,433 in state aid. The bill would give districts above that amount $71 increases, and those below that amount $142 increases. The amendment would add $20 to the increase for the higher spending districts.

The Senate version of the Fiscal Year (FY) 2008-2009 school aid budget. This would appropriate $13.381 billion, compared to $13.006 billion, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount appropriated in 2007 (which includes supplemental budgets and executive order changes adopted in addition to the previous year’s budget). It would raise the minimum per-pupil foundation grant by $71 per pupil at higher-spending schools, and $142 at lower spending ones. Unlike the executive budget recommendation proposed by Gov. Granholm, (Senate Bill 1149), the Senate version does not include money for more full day kindergarten programs, or for a program to use borrowed money to give subsidies to certain lower income school districts so they can close existing high schools and replace them with smaller high schools. The Senate would spread the money that would have gone for debt service on that to all districts for infrastructure spending.

With the recommendation that the substitute (H-1) be adopted and that the bill then pass.

To replace the Senate version of this budget with one that expresses the preferences of the House majority on various spending items and funding sources. For more see details see the analysis from the non-partisan House Fiscal Agency.

To increase the basic per-pupil foundation grant by $19, and to limit the extra "20j" payments to certain districts so that only districts with fewer than 300 special education students are eligible.

To revise the formula by which a "proration" of any potential funding reduction is allocated among districts. Note: Although passed, the amendment was not included in a subsequent substitute version of the bill that was adopted.

To allow a homeschooled child, on in a private school, or one in a district that does not offer a particular class, to take the class if offered by another district, with state funding flowing to the district offering the class, subject to certain conditions.

To adopt a version of this budget that expresses the fiscal and policy preferences of the Republican-minority in the House on various spending items and programs. In general, these are similar to the Senate-passed version, which are distinguished from the House majority's preferences in the individual line item descriptions contained in the analysis from the non-partisan Senate Fiscal Agency.

To establish as non-binding preference of the House that if a bill is passed like the one proposed by the amendment sponsor temporarily suspending the sales tax on gasoline the foregone revenue should be deducted from other unspecified state programs, rather than from the public school establishment. Note: Although passed, the amendment was not included in a subsequent substitute version of the bill that was adopted.

To strip out language that tilts more funding to districts that provide full-day kindergarten.

To repeal provisions related to contingent funding for certain preschool programs.

To insert a $100 "placeholder" for "a web-based practice assessment and classroom remediation program that includes reading, mathematics, social studies, and science and may be used by up to 250,000 pupils in grades 6, 7, and 8." The placeholder places this item on the agenda in a House-Senate conference committee on the bill.

To insert a $100 "placeholder" for junior achievement programs that focus on entrepreneurship, work-readiness skills, and financial literacy. The placeholder places this item on the agenda in a House-Senate conference committee on the bill.

To insert a $100 "placeholder" for a grant to a potential boarding school in Detroit with a maritime focus. The placeholder places this item on the agenda in a House-Senate conference committee on the bill.

To spend $300,000 on grants to three particular Intermediate School Districts to train students in "alternative energy".

To strip out a proposal to spend some $300 million replacing large high schools in some districts with small high schools. Also, to increase the basic per-pupil foundation grant by $12.

To spend $250,000 on a grant to a "center for advanced studies and the arts" operated by a consortium of Oakland County school districts.

To adopt a substitute version of the bill that is essentially identical to the original substitute before it was amended, as a means to sweep away some Republican amendments that were added to the bill.

The House version of the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 school aid budget. This would appropriate $13.415 billion, compared to $13.006 billion, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount appropriated in 2007, and $13.515 billion proposed by Gov. Granholm in February (Senate Bill 1149). It would raise the minimum per-pupil foundation grant by $55 per pupil at higher-spending schools, and $110 at lower spending ones. The House version funds the Governor's proposals for more full-day kindergarten programs, for using some $$300 million in borrowed money for subsidies to certain lower income school districts to close replace some high schools with smaller high schools, for more spending on various preschool programs, and more. Significantly, the House would allow Detroit to retain the "district of the first class" status that under current law limits new charter schools in the city, despite the fact that the district will soon fall below the 100,000 student threshold that is the statutory basis for this status.

To concur with a House-passed version of the bill. The vote sends the bill to a House-Senate conference committee to work out the differences.

The House-Senate conference report for the Fiscal Year 2008-2009 school aid budget. This would appropriate $13.378 billion, compared to $13.006 billion, which was the FY 2007-2008 amount appropriated in 2007, and $13.515 billion proposed by Gov. Granholm in February (Senate Bill 1149). It would raise the minimum per-pupil foundation grant by $56 per pupil at higher-spending schools, and $112 at lower spending ones. The conference goes along with the House in allowing Detroit to retain the "district of the first class" status that under current law limits new charter schools in the city, despite the fact that the district will soon fall below the 100,000 student threshold that is the statutory basis for this status. It funds a scaled-down version of the governor’s proposal to provide subsidies to certain lower income school districts to replace some high schools with smaller high school ($16 million annually for four years but with no new debt); establishes as the intent of the legislature that beginning in 2011 schools must provide 70 percent of the regular school hours in their kindergartens; and adds an additional $10 million for various preschool programs. For budget details see House Fiscal Agency analysis.