(WXYZ) — As students head back to the classroom, district leaders are preparing for significant cuts in some areas after a budget passed by Michigan lawmakers decreased funding for mental health and school safety by nearly 90% for this school year.
“My initial thoughts were of surprise and disappointment. I was surprised because we've seen right now there's an uptick in need for mental health services,” said Ypsilanti Community Schools superintendent Alena Zachery-Ross.
In last year’s budget, state lawmakers allocated $328 million for mental health and school safety. While $300 million was proposed for the same line items in this year’s state budget, ultimately only $26.5 million was allocated.
A full breakdown of what’s included in the budget can be foundhere.
“Now we're going to have to scale back some of the training we put in place last year. I have new teacher orientation today and I cannot afford to train these new staff and they're the ones that are going to need it the most,” said Zachery-Ross.
Zachery-Ross says the stark difference will mean their district will have to find new ways to fund necessities like improvements to their cybersecurity.
Zachery-Ross says the dollars in the 2023-2024 budget were also used to add full time positions for necessary social workers.
“The parents, we depend on the schools to also provide that support because they're there the majority of the day,” said Aerica Hurt who has two children in the Ypsilanti Community School district.
Hurt say the mental health supports provided by the district were critical for her students when they returned to class following the pandemic.
“If you don’t have a student that is mentally well you will not have a student that is successful. It’s impossible,” said Hurt. “It’s imperative. I really do question who brought this up to even lessen the funds. They must be disconnected from the students.”
Chippewa Valley Schools in Clinton Township says they may be forced to make some tough decisions as well.
“We went from over $3 million last year to probably $300k this year. That's drastic and there are no replacement dollars for that,” said Chippewa Valley Schools Superintendent Ronald Roberts.
Roberts says the district were able to use the money they received last year to make safety improvements to entry ways at several building, but the list of things to improve is forever growing.
“It’s just crucial. We have to constantly be upgrading the equipment we have. Equipment doesn't last forever whether it's security cameras, whether it's PA systems in our schools, all those things that make a school safe just break and wear out,” said Roberts.
In a statement, Governor Gretchen Whitmer's office says there is flexibility in the budget with an additional $600 million in funding that they’re hoping districts will use to improve school safety and mental health programs among other things.
"The recently passed education budget makes the largest investment in schools in our state’s history for the sixth year in a row. Thanks to an agreement with school organizations, it delivers an additional $600 million in funding for districts, which gives schools the flexibility to use the funding to meet the needs of individual students in their area. It is our intention that districts use this additional $600 million to improve school safety, mental health, before- and after-school programs, and more. The budget also gives teachers the much-needed raise they deserve while offering student loan repayment to lower the cost of being an educator. Governor Whitmer will continue to be a staunch ally for students and teachers in Michigan’s public school system.”
Stacey LaRouche
Press Secretary
Executive Office of the Governor
“I would like for them to consider our future. It really is. They were students at one point and they're now our lawmakers. It's really as simple as that. How do you want your future to look and consider that when you make laws that cut funding for these students to be our future leaders,” said Hurt.
Detroit Public Schools Community District, which is one of the largest districts in the state, says the impacts they would’ve have seen will be absorbed by one time funding. However, they would like to see permanent funding for mental health and school safety from the state.
“Although the District is disappointed that the mental health and safety grants are not funded in this year’s state budget, we will have one-time funding to absorb the cost to continue the services that these state grants provided to our students. We are optimistic that state leaders will find a way to continue this investment with next year’s state budget. In addition, although we are also disappointed not to see an increase in per pupil funding, by reimbursing a higher percentage of MPSERS the District increased its general funding, which, in the end, budgetarily we prefer because those funds are not restricted. We have faith in the Governor that she and the Legislature will make permanent the MPSERS reimbursement while also increasing per pupil funding next year.”
Chrystal Wilson
Spokesperson
Detroit Public Schools Community District
In the meantime, the district and parents are also planning to continue providing services to families in need through existing mental health programs.
Brenda McCants is a mother of two in DPSCD and says her students relied on mental health support provided by the district after returning to the classroom following the pandemic.
“It was very difficult especially for my son who has ADD and he had to switch to a technical environment and everything was online and everything was extremely distracting,” said McCants. “Both of my kids mental health tanked during that time. I did wind up getting them supportive services and counseling because I know they needed it. Both of them went into a depressive state, their anxiety increased because kids watch the news too.”
Krystal Chapman is a mental health consultant for the district and also has two students here. She says now is not the time to decrease funding for mental health.
“Immediately I feel disappointed and I feel the grief of that. On the other hand with our DPSCD schools, we have so many resources that will come in to play,” said Chapman. “We have kids that struggle with alcohol, drugs, suicidal ideation a long list of things that we need those supports for, to make sure these kids don’t go too far into those spaces before we can capture them and help them.”
Parents say they are holding out hope that state lawmakers will come up with a supplemental plan for mental health and school safety needs for the years to come.
If you or someone you know needs mental health help, WXYZ has a guide here. DPSCD also has resources listed here on their website.
