LANSING- Irma Clark-Coleman (D-Detroit) today fought to reverse devastating cuts to Michigan’s public education system as the Senate Appropriations panel considered the School Aid budget for Fiscal Year 2009-2010 (HB 4447).

The Senate version of the legislation calls for more than $400 million in cuts including an across-the-board reduction of $110 per pupil statewide. It also removes all funding for pre-school readiness programs, middle college programs, and the highly successful Detroit Area Pre-college Engineering Program.

“The K-12 budget that Senate Republicans amended and voted out of committee today makes unconscionable cuts to programs that we need if we are going to prepare our students for college and the jobs of tomorrow,” said Sen. Clark-Coleman, a member of the K-12 Senate Appropriations sub-committee. “We need to make students our priority and budget to preserve important programs such as fully funded pre-school, math/science centers, after-school and summer math programs, and readiness programs.”

Sen. Clark-Coleman offered the following amendments to the Senate version of House Bill 4447:

• Restore full foundation allowance to current level.
• Restore funding for declining enrollment grants.
• Restore funding for small high schools.
• Restore funding for school readiness (pre-school) programs
• Restore funding for the Detroit Area Pre-college Engineering Program.

Sen. Clark-Coleman’s amendments failed in the committee on a straight party line vote.

“We are facing difficult decisions about the state budget, but our decisions must not put our children’s education and their future in jeopardy,” said Senator Clark-Coleman. “I will continue my fight and I hope that my colleagues will join me and restore these important programs when we debate this budget on the Senate floor.”

# # #

State Sen. Irma Clark-Coleman represents the 3rd Senate District. She sits on the Banking & Financial Institutions, Education, Families & Human Services, and Senior Citizens & Veterans Affairs committees.