As the state repeatedly cuts funds for schools and the money allotted per student decreases while inflation rises, school districts across Michigan, including East Grand Rapids, have been continually cutting programs and seeking ways to reduce their budgets.

Even with these efforts, however, the operational and capital costs of running East Grand Rapids High School are often greater than its resources. However, a new tax increase that 20 school districts have approved in West Michigan will distribute an additional $617,000 annually for a decade. This amounts to about $211 per student for around 95,000 students total.

“If the millage hadn’t passed we would have been $300,000 in debt,” principal Jenny Fee said. “We would have had to look at what programs and services to cut.  Because of the millage we don’t have to look at those cuts anymore.”

Even with this beneficial cushion of support there is still some uncertainty about the budget.

“What we’re worried about is the future,” said Fee.

The state doesn’t release the budget for schools until June 1. The school board has a general sense of how much money the state will provide, but some years the allocated money is unfortunately less than expected. If that occurs this year, the schools will rely on the East Grand Rapids community to fill in the gaps.

“There’s some things that the EGR NOW fund were funding in that budget that aren’t paid for yet ― one of those is the paraeducators in the kindergarten and first grade classrooms,” Fee said. “And the other is some financial support for our performing arts center director. We still need EGR contributions to ensure that those two things remain intact.”

In 2016, $400,000 were raised by EGR NOW to support the EGR schools; this was fortunately enough to save positions that were previously threatened by the school board. Ideally, enough money would be raised this year that the schools would not only retain all paid positions but also be able to restore those positions that were lost in the past.

“If the community was generous enough then we would even consider the possibility of hiring a third counselor, which we lost several years ago,” Fee said. “It’s been very challenging, not to have three counselors.”

While promising and certainly reassuring, the Millage alone is not sufficient to cover all costs. Only the enthusiastic support of those who care about the EGR community and the viability of its schools will ensure that quality education is sustained in the near and distant future.