Adopted 1969, 1970, 1972 Revised 1991, Section VI.G. added 1993, LWVUS position adopted 1969, Revised 1997

LWVMI supports the development of a publicly financed public education system in which there is equal opportunity for good education available to all children in Michigan.
I. State, federal and local governments should share the responsibility for fully financing public education in both basic foundation and categorical programs.

II. State income tax, state and local property taxes and state sales tax should all be used as sources of revenue, with the greatest amount being provided by the income tax. No portion of these taxes should be earmarked for financing education. Public funds should not be used for nonpublic education except for shared time in the public schools, auxiliary services and transportation.

III. The State should:
A. Bear the greatest responsibility for financing public education, including programs for compensatory, special and vocational education, transportation, and education for the gifted.
B. Develop a financial distribution system which would assure equal educational opportunity for all children.
C. Set goals and guidelines in order to ensure a good basic education to all children.

IV. Local districts should:
A. Continue to bear some responsibility for financing education.
B. Have the option of raising additional millage in order to provide some enrichment of the basic educational program.
C. Not be allowed to levy any other taxes such as local income or local sales tax.
D. Retain the major control in the spending of the educational dollar, under state guidelines, including programs for compensatory education, transportation, capital outlay and in-service training.
E. Use program budgeting techniques.
F. Establish achievement goals at the local level.
G. Provide for equalization, or comparability of educational opportunities and funding, among all schools in the district.

V. The financial distribution system should:
A. Ensure equality of educational opportunity to all children. Such equality should be measured by using at least two of these criteria, in order of preference: 1. Education input, 2. Needs of individual children, 3. Education outcome, 4. Dollars spent per child.
B. Be funded at a level aimed at achieving a high quality program for all school districts.
C. Be based on, in order of preference: 1. The classroom unit concept, 2. Equal dollars per child, or 3. Equal dollars per mill. The voucher plan is unacceptable as a distribution system.

VI. The educational structure should provide that:
A. All local school districts offer a K-12 program.
B. Reorganized intermediate school districts offer maximum services to the local school districts.
C. Community college be available to all.
D. Program budgeting be required at all levels.
E. There be equalization, or comparability, among all districts in the state.
F. Educational programs be available to all persons who wish to complete their high school education.

VII. Goals should be established for the education system:
A. There should be statewide goals, goals for the intermediate districts and goals for the local school districts.
B. Achievement of goals should be assessed in reference to these goals with local factors taken into consideration in analyzing results of assessment.
C. Flexible responses are needed when assessment discloses that goals are not being met.