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Advocates: Shield poor students from pandemic budget cut

education funding graphic
flickr.com

An education advocacy group says Michigan should shield low-income students from the brunt of a potential K-12 funding cut in the coming school year instead of making an across-the-board reduction to base aid to resolve a pandemic-caused budget hole. The Royal Oak-based Education Trust-Midwest and some business and education leaders launched a campaign Tuesday to protect funding for such students as Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and lawmakers grapple with $1.1 billion less in the school aid fund for next fiscal year than was projected previously. The Democratic governor and Republican-led Legislature are hoping for more federal coronavirus relief funding. Advocates say if a reduction is necessary, aid for at-risk students should be protected.