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Rep. Cavitt urges governor to reconsider proposed cuts to education funding
RELEASE|March 17, 2023
Contact: Cam Cavitt

House Appropriations Committee member Cam Cavitt has signed onto a letter calling on Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to employ equal funding for every student in public education – whether in traditional public school, public charter schools, or online charters.

More than 150,000 students attend public charter academies and 21,200 are enrolled in online charter schools. Together, this encompasses approximately 10 percent of Michigan’s total K-12 student population.

In February, the governor presented a fiscal year 2024 budget recommendation to the House Appropriations Committee with a 20-percent per-pupil reduction for children who attend online cyber schools. These schools often serve diverse, vulnerable students with special needs – including compromised immune systems, mental health conditions, and other factors that prevent them from being educated in person. Many students also transition to cyber schooling to escape being bullied at school.

There was not a similar cut in per-pupil funding within the governor’s plan for children attending school online through traditional public school. Her proposed education cut comes amidst a record-high budget plan and as Michigan’s state budget surplus has soared.

“As elected officials, it’s vital we do our best to put Michigan children in a position to thrive,” said Cavitt, of Cheboygan. “The governor’s plan is frankly discriminatory. Virtual learning has proven to be a salvation for some of our state’s most vulnerable children. Every Michigan student deserves equal investment from the state – despite how or where they attend school. Our budget must reflect this creed.”

Cavitt ensured he will work to prevent this proposed cut as the budget process continues.

In addition to serving on the House Appropriations Committee, Cavitt has also been appointed Republican Vice Chair of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Military, Veterans Affairs and State Police, while also serving on the following subcommittees for the current legislative term: Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, and Judiciary.

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