(The Center Square) – A Michigan state senator tried to take another path to try to return money to school districts that were fined for COVID-19 regulation violations.
Sen. Kevin Daley, R-Lum, offered an amendment Wednesday to the 2025 state school budget to reimburse districts for previously unfair penalties.
Senate Democrats killed the amendment along party lines and then passed a budget plan raising per pupil spending to the highest level in state history.
A person speaking for Daley told The Center Square he still hopes to include the amendment in the budget through the conference process.
Daley said violations like failing to pay a $45 substitute teacher fee resulted in thousands of dollars in fines for some districts. The amendment, he said, limits how much a district can be fined and gives it a chance to correct an issue.
“For years, our schools have been hit with punishing fees for small violations,” Daly said. “This is an issue that has affected districts from all over Michigan, from Detroit to the Upper Peninsula. This amendment would reduce the amount that the state can charge our schools in fines, while also giving them a 10-day grace period to fix their mistake.”
Daily introduced legislation nearly a year ago that would do the same thing, but that bill continues to sit in the Senate Appropriations Committee.
“Most importantly, this language would require the state to reimburse districts who were unfairly fined under the old system during the time when COVID regulations made it nearly impossible for schools to do their work,” Daly said. “In summary, my amendment would give our local districts some much-needed financial relief while still ensuring that they are following state law.”
The Senate-passed 2025 School Aid budget included a 3.1% increase in per-pupil funding, pushing the total cost per student to $9,910. It also increased funding for at-risk students and English-language learners, allocated $75 million to continue the student-loan stipend program for teachers, and added $26 million for a teacher leadership development pilot program.
“Last year’s School Aid budget was the most progressive education budget our state had ever seen, and this year, we’re continuing to build on our commitment to providing all Michigan students with an excellent education,” said Sen. Darrin Camilleri, D-Trenton. “Our School Aid budget puts educators and students first. It includes their input gained through dialogue, and it ultimately ensures all Michigan students have the support they need to learn and grow.”
