State Rep. Jaime Greene | Michigan House Republicans
State Rep. Jaime Greene | Michigan House Republicans
State Representative Jaime Greene, a Republican from Richmond, has expressed her support for a new K-12 education budget plan proposed by House Republicans. The plan, which she voted for on Wednesday, aims to cut wasteful spending and increase per-pupil funding to unprecedented levels. It eliminates costly for-profit grant programs and raises the foundation allowance to $12,000 per student, marking the highest funding in the state's history.
Greene stated, "For years, state government has wastefully thrown taxpayer dollars at special grant programs and dysfunctional systems instead of funding our students directly." She believes that the House Republicans' budget plan signifies a shift towards direct investment in students across Michigan, allowing local schools to utilize funds in ways that most benefit their students.
Since assuming office, Greene has been an advocate for improving Michigan's educational performance. She played a key role in passing legislation earlier this term aimed at transforming standardized testing and educational requirements. This legislative effort is designed to enable local schools to better address students' needs and incorporate more workplace development courses.
Both Greene's legislative plan and the new Republican budget aim to prioritize Michigan students by revising the state's educational approach. The legislation considers differences in student abilities and ensures that funding is allocated based on enrollment numbers. Greene emphasized her strong support for these initiatives as they focus on putting Michigan students first.
Reflecting on past policies, Greene remarked, "Under past leadership, our state’s educational performance plummeted. Their response to this issue last term was to lower and repeal education standards, defund school safety and mental health services, and throw more money at the same broken systems." She views the new approach as a significant departure from previous strategies and an encouraging investment in Michigan's future. According to Greene, this plan empowers parents, local school districts, and teachers by giving them more control over educational decisions.