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Michigan subcommittee hears federal Title I access assured through June but long-term staffing cuts could disrupt payments
Summary
Chairman Paul Camilleri and Michigan Department of Education officials told the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on PreK‑12 that Title I and IDEA funds should be accessible through the current federal fiscal year ending June 30, 2025, but warned that recent federal staffing cuts and proposed changes make funding beyond July 1 uncertain.
Chairman Paul Camilleri and Michigan Department of Education officials warned the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on PreK-12 that Michigan schools face uncertainty around federal Title I and IDEA funding in future budget years even as the department said access to currently appropriated funds is expected through the current federal fiscal year ending June 30, 2025.
The MDE’s Olivia Ponti, legislative liaison, opened the department’s briefing by identifying Title I, Part A and its role in supporting students from low‑income families; Michael Powell, assistant director in the MDE Office of Educational Supports, and Michelle Williams, manager of the Special Populations Unit, joined for detailed descriptions of program rules and local uses. Ponti said Michigan distributed approximately $509,000,000 in Title I, Part A to eligible local education agencies in the 2024–25 school year and that the state receives about $460,000,000 through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
“Without the necessary federal staff to process, approve, and distribute these funds, states like Michigan could face delays or uncertainty in accessing the money our schools depend on,” Chairman Camilleri said during his opening remarks, noting reported federal layoffs. MDE testimony repeated that concern: Michael Powell told the committee the department had not received direct communications from the U.S. Department of Education but had been “communicated, that we should have access to funds through this current fiscal year,” which the department defined as the 2024 federal fiscal year running through June 30, 2025.
MDE witnesses explained how Title I, Part A is administered and used in Michigan: districts may run a schoolwide program where a building meets a 40% low‑income threshold or operate targeted assistance programs; typical uses include intervention teachers, paraprofessionals, social workers, counselors, professional learning, tutoring and supports for students experiencing homelessness or foster care. The department said 808 of Michigan’s 822 open and active LEAs (98.3%) are eligible and elected to participate in Title I, Part A this year; 14 LEAs were not eligible.
Committee members pressed the department on operational impacts. In response to a question about how many district employees are tied to Title I dollars, Powell said local uses vary widely by district and a precise statewide headcount was not available but could be provided later. When asked about the immediate effect of federal staff reductions, the department reiterated the assurance for the current fiscal year but said long‑term access after July 1 is uncertain.
The department contrasted federal Title I rules with Michigan’s state section 31a at‑risk funding: all 822 LEAs are eligible for section 31a and the MDE reported a 2024–25 section 31a allocation of approximately $1,035,000,000. Michelle Williams said section 31a and Title I serve similar populations and use similar schoolwide and targeted models but rely on different formulas and grant rules.
The subcommittee did not take formal action on federal funding during this hearing beyond accepting the MDE briefing. The committee approved draft minutes from the March 6 meeting by motion (moved by Senator Polhinke; supported by Senator Hertel) “without objection,” and adjourned later by motion from the chair (supported by Senator Kleinfeld).
The testimony and the senators’ questions underscored two points the department identified: (1) Michigan schools rely on a mix of federal and state funds to support interventions and staff, and (2) assurances exist for funds already appropriated for the current federal fiscal year, but long‑term continuity depends on federal staffing, appropriations and possible policy changes in Washington.
The subcommittee moved on to additional items on the agenda after the department finished its presentation; committee members requested follow‑up materials, including district‑level counts of staff paid with Title I funds and a list of the highest Title I allocations by district.
