LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Gov. Rick Snyder is taking on "misinformation" over his record of funding public schools before putting forward his next budget.
Since the Republican governor took office, he says, state aid to K-12 districts is up an average of $660 per student. But House Democratic Leader Tim Greimel says the figure is "simply untrue."
Until a few years ago, the primary marker of school funding was Michigan's per-pupil grant. Now Michigan is picking up some of the ballooning retirement costs instead of including the money in districts' traditional aid.
Minus certain spending, Snyder estimates state spending is up 10 percent. Critics cite cuts to the per-pupil grant in his first year.
An outside group says most new spending is for retiree costs and to restore federal stimulus aid that ended.
