Michigan schools get budget boost

Charlie Cain / Detroit News Lansing Bureau LANSING -- Michigan's K-12 public schools will get between $56 and $112 more per pupil next budget year under a spending plan Gov. Jennifer Granholm will sign into law. School districts across Michigan immediately complained the increases were too stingy and would have little impact on improving the quality of education. "This is completely insufficient in light of our rising fuel costs, health care and retirement costs," said Betsy Erikson, a spokeswoman for the Bloomfield Hills School District. Bloomfield Hills' funding will increase by the bare minimum, $56 per student, taking spending per pupil to $12,443. The district had to cut $5 million from its budget for the upcoming year, she said. "Our politicians are saying ... education is a top priority, but they are behaving... [read full story]