Schools around Southwest Michigan are anxiously awaiting news on the next state budget as lawmakers in Lansing continue negotiations.
Berrien RESA Superintendent Eric Hoppstock tells us conversations are happening at districts all across the state as school leaders have had to draft budgets based on projections rather than hard numbers. Hoppstock says because schools have to budget over the summer, many have done so using the same state funding that they had last year. Meanwhile, the final state aid payment for the previous academic year just went out.
Hoppstock says if lawmakers don’t reach a deal soon, a lot of questions will be raised.
“So if we move to a government shutdown because they can’t get a budget resolved, and let’s say it goes for a few days, maybe even a couple weeks, that first state aid payment becomes a question mark,” Hoppstock said.
Hoppstock says he’s spoken to Southwest Michigan legislators who have been equally frustrated by the impasse being caused by their leadership. He says more discussion on the budget should have taken place by now.
“If you look at the governor’s version, you look at the Senate’s version, the House’s version, they were wildly different. And there’s been no negotiations. And if you think about it, they’ve not proposed an entire budget yet.”
So, what happens as the new school year gets started?
“Districts are looking at some of those cash reserves and I think beginning to make a plan. What if? What if?”
Hoppstock says most districts have contingency plans in place to continue operating if the stalemate at the state level continues. But with additional pressure being put on lawmakers by cuts to Medicaid, he says the possibility of a reduction in school funding is real, and district leaders are simply in a holding pattern.
Lawmakers returned to Lansing this week to resume discussions, but so far, we’ve heard nothing about an agreement. Time runs out in October.
