WISD holds townhall on federal funding and policy impact on local schools
Luther C. Klager Elementary School.
The Schools and Libraries Universal Service Fund (USF), also known as E-Rate, helps schools obtain affordable broadband internet access and other telecommunications services. Manchester received $129,258 E-Rate funding this school year. Congress recently nullified a FCC rule that permitted schools to purchase discounted Wi-Fi hotspots or other connectivity services for off-premises use by students to address the homework gap. In addition, The Supreme Court is considering a case to declare USF unconstitutional, which would jeopardize all E-Rate funding.
by Colleen Schoenfeld
On the evening of Wednesday, April 30 the Washtenaw County Intermediate School District (WISD) hosted a public townhall meeting at Washtenaw Community College, featuring a moderated panel of six local and state level leaders on the topic of federal and state level funding for public education in Michigan. The panel was moderated by the President of the Washtenaw Association of School Boards, Jeanice Townsend. The panelists were; Dr. Pamela Pugh the President of the Michigan Board of Education, Naomi Norman the Superintendent of WISD, Jazz Parks the Superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools, Dr. Alena Zachary-Ross the Superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools, Jeff Irwin the Michigan State Senator for District 15, and Jimmie Wilson Jr. the Michigan State Representative for the 32nd House District. The Morris Lawrence Building auditorium appeared to be filled to near capacity with county-wide school board members, educators, students, parents, and community members.
The townhall panel began at 7pm and continued beyond the 8:30pm scheduled end, to after 9pm due to the many questions asked by the audience in the question and answer portion at the end. As the audience entered the auditorium, they were provided a multi-page brochure with data and funding information related to WISD and Michigan schools. The link to access this information as well as the presentation slides is https://bit.ly/EducationTownHall2025.
The townhall focused on areas of most concern for WISD school funding and what would have the biggest impact on district families, students, and staff. In addition to direct funding through the Department of Education (DOE), the Department of Agriculture provides funding for school meals and the Department of Health and Human Services provides Medicaid funding. On top of that, recent federal policies changes; like the policies on immigration, expected Medicaid funding cuts, and tariffs are indirectly impacting public education. Superintendent of WISD, Naomi Norman, explained that while some of these policies are not directed specifically at public schools, they have a significant impact on our public school students, families, staff, and communities which then carries over into the classrooms and schools.
Norman went on to explain that funding for public schools is an intricate and complicated process. She explained that federal dollars are sent down from federal agencies, to our state governments, which then send it on to ISDs like WISD, and WISD then flows that money down to the local school districts (like Manchester Community Schools). She explained that there are three specific “buckets” of federal funding at WISD; Head Start, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (special education funding), and Medicaid reimbursements for school based services.
Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood education program that promotes the school readiness of infants, toddlers, and preschool-aged children from low-income families. Currently there are over 400 students in WISD enrolled in the Head Start program. The program helps to reduce achievement gaps for many students and is also an important program for families, allowing parents and caregivers to work while their children are at Head Start.
Norman shared that completely unexpectedly, funding for Head Start was placed on a 2 week pause leaving WISD and many school districts scrambling to identify what to do about funding and programming for those 2 weeks. She said that an injunction was issued within 48 hours which put funding back into place but that the experience has pushed WISD to focus on efforts to plan for many different scenarios of different policy and funding impacts. She shared that WISD still has not received word if Head Start funding will be provided for next school year. She also stated that no matter what happens at the federal and state funding levels, for the short term, WISD is committed to continuing Head Start programming by shifting to using general funds and identifying other funding sources. She made a commitment that they will not be ending programming in the WISD or firing or laying off Head Start employees in the short term.
Norman candidly discussed that with regard to Head Start funding, the WISD, district leaders, and legislators were shocked to learn it could be facing cuts or even elimination. Head Start has historically had strong bipartisan support and has been in place for over 60 years.
One of the largest buckets of all federally provided school funding to WISD, is the funding for IDEA. WISD receives $12.8 million a year to support IDEA services which encompass a wide range of instructional programs and support services for students with disabilities, including paying for paraprofessionals. WISD currently has 6,992 students who receive special education services. Manchester Community Schools currently has 98 students who receive special education services.
Concerns about special education revolve around fears that if the DOE is dismantled or its funding is reduced, resources and funding for IDEA would be undermined. In addition, DOE plays a major role in ensuring students with disabilities are not discriminated against, and cuts could weaken these protections.
Despite the potential funding cuts, Norman assured the audience that WISD is committed to continuing to provide all required special education services and supports per students’ Individual Education Plans (IEPs). While she said WISD will not change their services and supports for students’ with an IEP, she did say that the state and WISD will have to identify alternate funding sources. She encouraged the audience by reminding them that the county recently successfully passed a millage increase that specifically supports special education so while the 10% potential cuts to WISD due to the federal government’s actions, WISD is in a solid place funding-wise to continue special education services. She also encouraged the audience members to engage in advocacy work and contact legislators with their concerns about funding cuts and their impacts to special education services and the students who will be impacted.
Medicaid provides health and dental services to qualifying individuals and children, and this includes reimbursement funding for in-school health, dental, and mental health services students that are Medicaid recipients receive. WISD receives over $6 million a year in Medicaid reimbursements for these services.
Dr. Pugh, President of the Michigan Board of Education, stated that, “we’re playing both offense and defense.” She said that a few months ago we had the highest graduation rate in Michigan history. And the highest CTE (Career and Techincal Education), programming and participation, in Michigan history. She told the audience that with help of legislators they have fought for special education funding increases from $0 to over $1 billion. She went on to explain that these record and historic funding increases and budgets were put in place to help Michigan schools crawl out of decades of issues of underfunding and no funding, and that over 2,000 health professionals, mental, medical, counselors have been added and funded.
She said that the latest action taken by the Federal Executive Administration calls for state and local school districts to certify that they are in compliance with federal Executive Orders regarding DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion). At the state level, Michigan replied “no,” and filed a lawsuit to challenge what they see is as illegal order and guidance. This is 1 of 6 lawsuits Michigan has filed against the Executive Administration actions and attempted actions.
She further stated that Michigan is making sure our children are getting closer and closer to the best education they can have. She said that our state legislators just passed a literacy package. And that with the other funding increases and budget proposals we are moving toward that goal. She also stated that we still have many classrooms with 30-40 students “which is not right”. She provided the statistic that we live in a state where we spend around $10,000 annually per child for education, compared to spending over $50,000 per year for each incarcerated individual. She informed the audience that a $1 billion package is currently being put forward to retain and attract educators; offer student loan forgiveness, provide stipends for student teachers, and that there is need for recruiting and retention efforts to ensure we have educators who reflect their students. She stated that we will fight for our students and will fight against what she termed “a very cruel agenda”. She advocated for engagement from all constituents to advocate for our students and schools.
Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act provides financial assistance to schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families. WISD receives $8.2 million annually in Title 1 funding. Manchester Community Schools receives $33,600 annually. Recently the President, the Secretary of Education, and members of Congress have made statements about restricting Title I funding based on DEI initiatives.
Jazz Parks, superintendent of Ann Arbor Public Schools spoke about current challenges to Title VI regarding civil rights and DEI. She explained that the Executive Administration is attempting to argue that DEI is discriminating against certain groups. The federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights sent a letter requiring all states, including Michigan, down to local school districts, to sign and certify the deletion of all DEI programs or to certify they do not have any. They were given 10 days, which was then expanded to 20, to respond. She stated that instead, Michigan submitted a letter saying we are already meeting our requirements with federal and state laws and are already in compliance with Title VI and Civil Rights requirements and will not submit the requested certification letter. Michigan is only one of multiple states that declined. WISD provided guidance to the its district superintendents to respond in a similar manner at the local levels. She noted that the day the letter was due, WISD received notice of injunctions filed across several states pertaining to a New Hampshire case in which the National Education Association (NEA) filed a lawsuit alleging the illegality of the requested certification. She said that is where we are right now, as far as a status update and that Michigan and WISD are watching to see what will happen. She noted that the Michigan AG also filed a separate lawsuit to challenge this requirement.
Dr. Zachary-Ross, Superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools, emphasized that it is important that we all work together, be allies, and be cheerleaders to support education and schools. She said that we are living in a world experiencing population changes and that current estimates are that by the year 2060, a majority of speakers in the US will speak Spanish. In the past few years, Washtenaw County has welcomed nearly 1,500 immigrant neighbors from around the world who speak 29 different languages. Last year alone, WISD welcomed 210 students under Refugee/Special Immigrant Visa statuses. Dr. Zachary-Ross stated that as a district, we embrace DEI and multi-lingual students and that the district refuses to consider our multi-lingual students as operating with a deficit and instead, embraces their culture and language. She explained that they start with the base of their native language and build from it to English, and that the district has 3 newcomer centers where students can experience non-threating, scaffolding-style learning to prepare for full English learning.
Dr. Zachary-Ross stated that anti-immigration policies are impacting not just “our scholars”, but also the educators who are learning other languages, and acquiring the necessary technology to communicate effectively with families. She said that all students are entitled to an accessible learning environment and that the district is going to help them weather this storm. She stated that families are hurting and in her district, already 2 fathers had been taken, and an educator witnessed a colleague “swept away by ICE.” She shared that another educator had to return home for their mother’s death and is not allowed to travel back now. She explained that the fear of deportation is very real and that is resulting in reduced school attendance, that families are having to make back up plans for care, and underground systems are being put in place. She noted that the district is teaching all their families about the red cards (a card printed with legal rights) to make sure students feel safe, making sure teachers are aware and able to pivot if necessary, and making sure that families know the district is ready to offer support. She said all students deserve a first class education and we represent a country of opportunity.
The moderator then introduced the final two panelists, State Representative Jimmie Wilson Jr. and State Senator Jeff Irwin. Sen. Irwin represents part of the Manchester area including the City of Manchester, Manchester Township, and Bridgewater Township. Senator Irwin stated that we are in a fight for the future of public education in Michigan. He shared that he was was asked to speak on this panel about the budget and funding effects but he wanted to start with telling the audience that through all of his time in politics, he’s learned that the stories we tell to ourselves, our families and communities are important. He said he wished we lived in a world where facts, evidence, and peer reviewed research ruled the day, but we often struggle to come together as a community because we’re not telling the right story and that is damaging. He hears the Republicans in the state talk about public education, that it isn’t working and can’t work. He said that when he and other Democrats talk about public education, they talk about test score failures, and failing schools. And as a result, the whole public dialogue is about the challenges and rarely does he hear anyone say free fair public education is the most important thing we have ever done. He said that one of the things we have to do is breathe life into that truth as much as we can.
Irwin explained that the state budget is in the middle of its process right now. He stated that the Governor has already proposed a budget that then must be approved by Oct 1 or a state government shutdown will result. He believes that Republicans are planning to stall and force a state shutdown. Irwin told the audience that when you look at state budget, 11% of that funding source is federal. He said that they’re keeping an eye on federal cuts that the state may have to fill in. He reiterated his statement earlier that we’re in a fight for the future of public education. He encouraged the audience to share this information with their contacts and communities and encouraged the audience members to change the narrative around public education as it is the best and most important thing we have ever done in this nation.
Representative Wilson stated that Michigan house has Republican legislators who have already submitted bills to eliminate the state school board and state superintendent. He shared his opinion that house republicans want to emulate those in Washington DC. He explained that there are three legs to the stool; the house, the senate, and the Governor. He said (regarding the budget) that there will be some compromise and negotiation. He said that there are certain things they will not be giving up and will not kneel to. He stated that head start and special education have to be funded.
Wilson said that one question he saw submitted prior to the townhall, was what can the public do? He told the audience to reach out to their legislators and the Governor. He told the audience that “the squeeky wheel gets the grease”. He further advised that those with concerns should group together and meet with the Governor’s staff to discuss their concerns and issues that are important to them. He advised that those who don’t advocate can get left behind.
President of the Washtenaw Association of School Boards, Jeanice Townsend, who moderated the event added that anyone who wants to help their local school district should show up at PTO meetings, WISD meetings, local school board meetings, events, “all of it”.
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