To provide a “template” or “place holder” for a Fiscal Year 2016-2017 “Omnibus” school aid, higher education and community colleges budget. This bill contains no appropriations, but may be amended at a later date to include them.   Official Text and Analysis.

To replace the original "placeholder" language with an actual budget bil.

To not use money earmarked to the state School Aid Fund to pay for higher education expenses, but only for K-12 schools.

To spend an additional $105 million on 3rd grade reading programs.

To spend an additional $5 million on "early literacy coaches at intermediate school districts to assist teachers in developing and implementing instructional strategies" to teach 3rd graders how to read.

To give the Detroit school district an extra $157 million to cover its cover its commitments to the underfunded state-run school pension system.

To strip out $5 million allocated to reimburse private schools for the costs they incur meeting various unfunded state mandates.

The Senate version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2016. A separate Senate budget authorizes the rest of state government spending (Senate Bill 800). This bill would appropriate a total of $16.106 billion, of which $1.919 billion is federal money. Of this total, $14.107 billion would go to K-12 public education, compared to $13.896 billion the prior year. It also appropriates $1.600 billion for state universities, compared to $1.535 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $399 million, vs. $388 million the prior year.

To send the bill back to the Senate "stripped" of all actual appropriations. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.

To adopt a "placeholder" version of this budget that contains no appropriations or just nominal ones. This is a procedural step designed to facilitate eventual passage of a real budget based on amounts and conditions approved by the House and Senate.

To approve the House's "stripped" version of the bill. This vote is basically a procedural method of launching negotiations to work out the differences between the House and Senate budgets.

The final version of the K-12 school aid, community college and university budgets for the fiscal year that begins Oct 1, 2016. House Bill 5294 authorizes the rest of state government spending. This bill appropriates a total of $16.140 billion, of which $1.201 billion is federal money. Of this total, $14.161 billion would go to K-12 public education, compared to $13.896 billion the prior year. State universities will get another $1.582 billion, compared to $1.535 billion the prior year. Community colleges would get $395 million, vs. $388 million the prior year.