Ann Arbor Times

Bridge Michigan raises a controversial question: Should Michigan's low-income school districts receive exponentially more federal education dollars than more affluent districts?

The issue has resurfaced as billions of federal COVID-19 relief dollars make their way to Michigan.

“Many Michigan school leaders, including the state superintendent, want to see the formula for allocation of school relief funds changed to lessen funding gaps that can be more than 100-fold between school districts,” Ron French of Bridge Michigan wrote. "But others, including Detroit Superintendent Nikolai Vitti, are critical of efforts by wealthier schools trying to redirect money that, under the current formula, is directed heavily to low-income districts.”

With another federal relief bill in the works, Michigan schools could get $3.8 billion, in addition to the $2.5 billion they have already received in 2020 from the first two COVID-19 bills.

Last year’s bills tied funding to Title 1 guidelines for low-income students.

“A Bridge Michigan analysis found that allocation created per-student allocation disparities of more than 100-fold between some schools in the state, with some affluent schools receiving less than $100 per student and some low-income schools getting more than $10,000 per student,” French wrote in Bridge Michigan.

In the next bill, Michigan leaders still favor more funding for low-income students, but some argue that basing payments on Title 1 creates gaps between school systems that are just too large.

“Title I Part A formula is an awkward vehicle for distributing relief during a pandemic and must be rethought if additional federal dollars are made available,” state Superintendent Michael Rice told Bridge Michigan. “That formula, while perhaps legitimate for distributing funds to support educationally disadvantaged students under normal circumstances, is inadequate to support all children during a pandemic.”

Seven Michigan school associations have written letters to the state’s congressional delegation, urging the lawmakers to reduce the gaps between districts. They suggested cutting the percentage of funds tied to Title 1 in half, with the other half designated as discretionary.

“This tweak would ensure that every district receives critical relief to address pandemic-related expenditures, while also guaranteeing that our districts with the highest percentage of disadvantaged students receive the aid they need,” the letter said, according to Bridge Michigan.