Michigan House OKs budget for schools, colleges

5/28/2013

LANSING, Mich.  — The Republican-controlled Michigan House has approved a $15.1 billion education budget that includes a slight funding boost for the state’s K-12 schools, community colleges and universities.

The House approved the budget on a 65 to 43 vote Tuesday, sending it to the Republican-led Senate for consideration.

Michigan’s public schools would get about 3 percent more and its community colleges and universities about 2 percent more in overall funding next fiscal year.

Michigan’s colleges and universities would be expected to keep their tuition rate increases at or below 3.75 percent to get some money that is tied to performance, like the number of completed degrees.

House Democrats attacked the plan Tuesday, saying that it didn’t go far enough to correct past cuts to education.