This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the 2027 Fiscal Year budget, providing appropriations for the next fiscal year beginning on October 1.
General Omnibus Budget:
- It completely rolls back the retirement tax, saving seniors an average of $1,000 per year.
- $532 million for the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which provides a tuition pathway for full-time community college students and up to $27,500 for full-time students at universities.
- $343 million for local road funding and $52.7 million more in additional funds for state and local roads and bridges.
- $184.3 million for the state to meet new federal requirements for food and health care access, including $94.3 million in increased SNAP administrative cost-sharing.
Education Omnibus Budget:
- $502 million towards literacy curriculum, literacy training for teachers, literacy coaches, and high-impact tutoring.
- $325 million to provide a 2.5% increase in base per-pupil funding.
- $200 million to continue free school meals for all 1.4 million public school students.
- $150 million to continue educator bonuses and supports for teachers.
As part of the budget negotiations, a number of bills were passed by the legislature, and a handful of those were signed into law, including:
- A requirement for elementary teachers to complete intensive training in the science of reading, including phonics.
- Codify requirements for districts to receive weighted funding.
- Modification to the interim teaching certification process to expand pathways for individuals training to become special education teachers.
- Codify the MI Tri-Share program into law, which splits the cost of an employee’s licensed child care equally among the employer, the employee, and the state.
