As Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on School Aid & the Department of Education, State Rep. Tim Kelly (R–Saginaw Township) celebrates the Michigan House’s passage of a historic K-12 budget—raising the foundation allowance to $12,000 per student, a $2,392 increase that proves “Michigan kids are worth the investment” 

“Today’s vote sends a clear message: investing in our children isn’t optional—it’s essential. I’m proud our Appropriations team conducted a rigorous, line-by-line review—prioritizing return on investment for every taxpayer dollar, cutting waste where we could, and reinvesting those savings directly into our students’ classrooms,” said Rep. Kelly.

Budget Highlights:

• Historic Funding Increase: First-ever raise of the foundation allowance to $12,000 per pupil—delivering more resources in the classroom for struggling students, expanded programs, and stronger supports
  
• Local Empowerment: Removes micromanagement from Lansing by cutting expensive, for-profit grants and unnecessary mandates—letting school boards, superintendents, principals, and teachers decide how best to use dollars in their communities (e.g., breakfast programs, safe transportation, mental health services).
  
• Restored Safety & Mental Health: Fully reverses last year’s cuts to school safety and mental-health funding; encourages every district to station a school resource officer on campus so kids have trusted support and parents have peace of mind
  
• Targeted Supports: Dedicates over $300 million to shrink class sizes, expand third-grade literacy initiatives, bolster career and technical education, pay down teacher-retirement debt for future stability, and guarantee every district emerges ahead with $127 million in “hold-harmless” funding
  
• Parental Protections: Flips the script on controversial programs and surveys by making non-response an automatic opt-out, restoring decision-making power to families
  

Committee Leadership:
Rep. Kelly serves on the House Appropriations Committee and, as Chair of the Subcommittee on School Aid & the Department of Education, led the rigorous fiscal vetting of every line item. He also serves as  Vice Chair of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Human Services and sits on the Appropriations Subcommittees for Michigan State Police and General Government.

With the budget now heading to the Michigan Senate, Rep. Kelly urged his colleagues to act swiftly in adopting this student-first plan and sending it to the Governor’s desk—so local educators can plan with certainty and Michigan students can benefit this fall.

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