ALPENA — The lack of agreement on a state school aid budget by the deadline of July 1 and the House’s proposed school aid budget are raising concerns for some local educators.

The Michigan Legislature’s House of Representatives passed their school state aid budget on June 11. The Senate passed their version of the school aid budget on May 14.

Lawmakers met on July 1 to reach an agreement about the budget, but none was made. The next time lawmakers could meet to discuss the school aid budget is Tuesday.

Districts have already created their budgets for fiscal year 2026. They await the legislature’s final decision before they can be sure of the amount of funding they will receive, and in what areas.

The House’s proposed budget cuts funding for Career and Technical Education, adult education programs, and universal school breakfast and lunch, among other initiatives. The funds from those and other cut programs are relocated to per-pupil funding for schools. The House’s budget would give schools around $12,000 per pupil, according to a June 17 press release from the Michigan House Republicans.

The reallocation of funds is proposed to allow districts more freedom in how they choose to spend their funds and leave decisions about programs in the hands of local experts. Districts typically need to meet certain requirements to secure funding for areas like adult education. The House’s budget would allow those districts to spend money on adult education as needed with easier access to funding.

Those opposed to the House’s budget say that it cuts vital direct funding for issues like addressing the teacher shortage.

“While I support increasing per-pupil funding and reducing to a significant degree the number of categorical grants to give school districts more flexibility in how to spend state dollars, this budget unnecessarily puts at risk statewide education priorities,” State Superintendent Michael Rice said in a June 11 press release.

Those opposed to the House’s school aid budget plan say that directed funds create accountability for districts.

The House’s proposed budget requires districts to support at least one school resource officer (SRO) and at least one staff member dedicated to supporting mental health. It also requires districts to provide an annual report on how funds under the per-pupil subsection were spent.

Whitney Dettmer, adult education director at Iosco Regional Educational Service Agency (IRESA), is concerned about funding loss for adult education. IRESA adult education serves eight Northeast Michigan counties, including Alpena, Alcona, Montmorency, and Presque Isle.

The adult education program at IRESA is slated to receive around $700,000 from adult education funding, Dettmer said. That’s if the House and Senate agree on a budget that reflects the executive recommendation. The total funding for adult education is $40.5 million in the executive plan. The House’s recommendation would instead reallocate all adult education funding to the per-pupil fund.

With the delay in a budget decision, Dettmer said that she is lucky to have a superintendent that is keeping things running.

Alpena Montmorency Alcona Educational Service District Superintendent Justin Gluesing said that the delay in a budget agreement makes it difficult for districts to get a picture of what their final budgets will be.

Northeast Michigan Schools face a particular challenge with the elimination of the transportation categorical in the House’s proposed budget.

Transportation has been a long sought for source of funding, and it would be unfortunate to remove that source, Gluesing said. Dettmer mentioned how vital transportation is to Alpena Public Schools, with their buses traveling the distance to Orlando, Fla. in a single day during the school year.

Dettmer and Gluesing said it has been a number of years since the school aid budget has not passed on time.

Reagan Voetberg can be reached at 989-358-5683 or rvoetberg@TheAlpenaNews.com.