In rural Michigan, small school districts face the uphill task of securing funding through state grants. Michelle Wesner, an administrator in Posen Consolidated Schools, is among those grappling with this challenge. At her desk, she contemplates applying for an $80,000 state grant to start a much-needed welding career tech program. The concern that her application might be overlooked is ever-present.
Unlike larger districts with dedicated grant teams, small districts in northern Michigan juggle multiple responsibilities. In Posen, situated in Presque Isle County, these tasks range from substitute teaching to snow removal, leaving little time for grant applications. Wesner often works late into the night to complete these applications, noting, “It kills me that I have to do these between zipping coats and recess duty.”
Rural students in Michigan are at a disadvantage due to the competitive nature of state grants. Many small districts can’t compete for the $7 billion available through 102 state grants. Despite complaints leading to a reduction in grants, the system still favors larger districts.
“They’re minnows competing against sharks,” said Craig Thiel, research director at Citizens Research Council. His organization published a report criticizing the state’s reliance on competitive grants, which have increased over the years. Michigan once had 50 categories of school funding, significantly higher than the national average.
Categorical grants aim to reduce disparities by directing funds to underserved populations, such as low-income or ESL students. However, small districts struggle to complete the necessary paperwork for these grants, including $351 million in competitive grants and $1.1 billion in formula grants.
Vanessa Keesler, former deputy superintendent at the Michigan Department of Education, acknowledged the challenges, saying, “There’s growing agreement that the budget is too categorical (grant) heavy.”
Small districts, with less than 1,000 students, find themselves at a disadvantage. About 87,000 students attend these schools, representing 6% of Michigan’s public school students but nearly a third of public districts. Administrators in these districts, like Katy Xenakis-Makowski of Johannesburg-Lewiston Area Schools, often handle multiple roles, from grant writing to social media management.
With limited staff, these schools leave potential funding on the table. Xenakis-Makowski recounted a $2,500 literacy camp grant that went unclaimed due to cumbersome paperwork. “It just wasn’t worth it,” she admitted.
Rudyard Area Schools in Chippewa County faces similar hurdles, with transportation costs eating up 11% of its budget. Superintendent Tom McKee often prioritizes other duties over grant writing, once abandoning a library grant due to time constraints.
Despite these challenges, some districts like Rudyard benefit from millage funds, supporting their career tech education (CTE) programs. But even with this advantage, Rudyard competes for additional CTE grants to expand its offerings.
In Posen, the welding program could address the region’s need for life skills training, but without the $80,000 grant, the district risks cutting essential services. “That would be cutting three paraprofessionals, cutting busing or cutting a teacher,” Wesner explained.
State officials, including former State Superintendent Michael Rice, have criticized the competitive grant system. New State Superintendent Glenn Maleyko advocates for more accessible funding, proposing that eligibility criteria, rather than competition, should determine grant distribution.
John Severson, executive director of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Districts, suggests shifting competitive grant funds to weighted formulas that benefit all qualifying schools. However, the application deadline for the career tech grant has passed, and schools like Posen, Johannesburg-Lewiston, and Rudyard await the outcome.
“We’re responsible to educate all the children in our state, no matter what ZIP code they’re in,” said Xenakis-Wakowski. “They should all have equal opportunities, and it’s honestly not that way.”
For more information, read the original story by Bridge Michigan.
