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Michigan Legislature approves K-12 budget

education funding graphic
flickr.com

The Republican-led Michigan Legislature has given final approval to a K-12 schools budget.

The legislation was approved 91-18 by the House and 21-17 by the Senate on Thursday. Legislators directed an additional $30 million toward special education, above what was in legislation that cleared a panel last week.

The minimum per-student grant would increase from $7, 871 to $8,111, a $240, or 3%, increase. Districts at the higher end would get $8,529, or $120 more than the current $8,409 allotment - a 1.4% bump.

Republicans say the budget would spend a "record" amount on education. Democrats are divided over the measure.

Some say it is a step in the right direction, but others say it falls short and provides only an inflationary increase in funding when schools need a major boost.