GRPS level funded under Snyder budget | Education

GRAND RAPIDS (WZZM)- The budget signed today by Governor Rick Snyder offers a per pupil funding boost to the state's poorest school districts, but not Grand Rapids. The poor districts will get an average $120 per pupil increase, but GRPS will be level funded. Still, spokesman John Helmholdt notes, "That's still $470 down from the previous year - so we're still nowhere near back to where we were in 2006 if you go back and look at how the funding has been cut in the last four or five years."

Helmholdt said GRPS was lucky to have local legislators fight and win an effort to restore money to keep classes small. Without that victory, he said, GR would have lost $5.3 million.

Helmholdt says GRPS this fall will unveil a three to five year strategic plan that will include school closings and restructuring. "It's gonna be tough - there are gonna be building closures and program changes to free up cash so we can invest in what's working."