LANSING – State Representative Bert Johnson (D-Detroit) today praised education budgets passed by the Michigan House today that increase investment in Detroit schools for the 2007-08 school year, ensuring that schools have the resources they need to give every Detroit student a high-quality education.
"Detroit has the largest public school district in the state," Johnson said. "I would like to praise the Detroit caucus for its tireless fight to make sure our students aren't pushed aside. If our children are going to succeed in the global marketplace, we need to give them the tools they need to compete for jobs. Offering them this kind of solid educational foundation will set them on the road to success."
Johnson said the K-12 budget calls for an overall increase of approximately $26.4 million in funding for the district, which is about $200 per pupil.
Johnson said Detroit students are also winners thanks to the higher education budget, which contains a provision that requires 12 of Michigan's 15 universities to admit Michigan students that are in the top 10 percent of their class.
"This will ensure that students who work hard in school, no matter what their ZIP code, will have the chance to pursue a higher education," Johnson said. "Our students should get the same opportunities a student attending an exclusive school in the suburbs."