Chapter 22: Michigan

In 1993, the State of Michigan experienced an unprecedented conundrum related to financing its public schools. Kalkaska Public Schools, a district in northern Michigan, closed approximately two-thirds of the way through the school year due to insufficient funds. This travesty made headlines in many of the nation’s most prominent media outlets—an entire school district had to close early because it lacked the financial resources to operate.¹ In 1994, Michigan took drastic action to change the method of funding public schools. Commonly known as Proposal A, this formula purported to provide stability, adequacy, and equity to the revenue allocated to schools. Debate remains strong after 27 years of Proposal A as to whether Michigan has provided adequate revenue streams for public education.