Michigan school district’s math doesn’t add up

By Tom Gantert | Michigan Capitol Confidential

The superintendent of the school district that has on average the third-highest paid teachers in the state said in a letter posted on the district’s website that a $50 per-pupil foundation allowance increase from the state was “devastating.”

Walled Lake Consolidated School District Superintendent Kenneth Gutman’s response to the state budget claimed the $50 per-pupil increase in funding would translate to “another $518,000 loss for Walled Lake Schools.”

A $50 per-pupil increase for a district with 15,000 students would generate about $750,000 more dollars for the district. It’s unclear how Gutman came up with the loss figure. In the letter, he lamented the fact that “the majority of Michigan districts will receive as much as $175 per pupil additional,” but Walled Lake was slated to receive “only $50″ more per student.

School district officials didn’t respond to requests for comment.

at Michigan Capitol Confidential.