June 5, 2012

Legislature passes budget for FY 2013

Funding gap lessens and opportunities are available for additional dollars

The School Aid conference report has passed the legislature. Assuming the Governor signs, it will become the School Aid budget. Click here to view the impact of the FY 2013 budget for your school. Below is a recap of the FY 2013 budget as reported by the conference committee on School Aid.

MAPSA works hard every year to achieve equity in funding for all schools. MAPSA also ensured that charter schools had the ability to meet every objective for the Best Practices Incentive Fund after some charter schools were locked out of one or more objectives last year.

With the FY 2013 budget, the funding gap will be less.

• Increased base foundation allowance from $6,846 to $6,966. Any school that received less than $6,966 for FY 2012 will see an increase to the new base.

Opportunities for additional dollars:

• Best Practice Dollars
  An additional $52/pupil ($80 million) for schools meeting 7 out of 8 of the following best practice goals:
• The district serves as the policyholder for health benefits (a district would automatically qualify if they have no direct employees) (in FY12).
• The district participates in schools of choice by accepting enrollment by nonresident applicants under section 105 or 105c (PSAs automatically meet this requirement).
• The district monitors student growth in each subject area at least twice a year.
• The district offers dual enrollment, Advanced Placement courses, participates in a middle college, or offers other post-secondary learning opportunities and makes all eligible students aware of the opportunities. (PSAs with no high school grades could meet this objective by notifying their students of the opportunities that would be available when they enter high school.)
• The district offers online or blended learning and makes all eligible students aware of the opportunities.
• The district publishes a dashboard (in FY12).
• The district obtains competitive bids for non-instructional services during the 2012-2013 year (in FY12).
• The district provides physical education or health education consistent with the State Board of Education policy.
• Performance Dollars
  Governor’s proposed up to $100/pupil ($30 million subject to proration based on available funds) for incentives tied to performance. Below is the funding breakdown:
• $30/pupil for districts that have above-average proficiency improvement in mathematics for grades 3-8 when compared to statewide averages.
• $30/pupil for districts that have above-average proficiency improvement in reading for grades 3-8 when compared to statewide averages.
• $40/pupil for districts that have above-average proficiency improvement over a 4-year period in all subject areas for high school students when compared to statewide averages.
• $50 million appropriation for competitive grants to prepare for computer adaptive testing that will be required in 2014-2015. The grants could be used for hardware or software, and also specifies that the grant funds could be used to access computer adaptive assessment tests.
• $155 million to help schools offset the rising costs of the Michigan Public School Employees Retirement System (MPSERS). Another $41 million will go into a MPSERS reserve fund, and $130 million is dedicated to prefunding retiree health care in MPSERS.
• Last year, the budget included language that would pay a full foundation allowance for full day kindergarten and only a half foundation allowance for half-day kindergarten. There was an amendment to allow schools to use Title I dollars for full day kindergarten if they are able to submit evidence that they previously utilized Title I dollars in the immediately preceding two school fiscal years to fund full day kindergarten. All other schools will be required to offer full day kindergarten to receive the full foundation allowance from the state.

If you have any questions regarding this issue, or any public policy issue facing charter schools, please

contact Alicia Urbain, Vice President of Government and Legal Affairs, at

aurbain@charterschools.org or by phone at 517-999-4416.

The Michigan Association of Public School Academies (MAPSA) has been the unified voice of the public charter school movement in Michigan since 1996. MAPSA represents over 119,000 students, 16,000 public school academy staff members, dozens of authorizers and more than 50 education service providers working in 255 public charter schools in the state. MAPSA assists the state's public charter schools in their mission to deliver achievement, choice and accountability through our advocacy, communications, technical assistance and professional development services. For additional information, please visit www.charterschools.org