3/12/13 - A local lawmaker says he is disappointed in the Brighton school districtâs deficit reduction proposal that was recently rejected by the state. State Representative Bill Rogers said he was disappointed that the district would submit such a plan, which he described as extremely unrealistic. Since Brighton is a deficit district as defined by the state, it must submit a deficit elimination plan every year. The legacy deficit was at one time more than $15 (m) million and stood at $7.3 (m) million at the end of last year. The plan is based on projections and other indicators as it had to be submitted to the state five months ago. Thatâs before the Governorâs budget was released and the deficit elimination plan was only taken up recently by the Michigan Department of Education. Brighton Area Schools Superintendent Dr. Greg Gray tells WHMI they are continually working with state to revise the plan and will do so in the future. Rogers said the plan that was rejected last week projected that enrollment numbers were to increase by 1,440 students and also factored in a $100 per-pupil increase in funding. Rogers, a Genoa Township Republican, says school districts statewide are losing students and Brighton's per-student funding will increase by only $34. But Gray says there are two different pools of students at issue. One are the full-time students who reside within the district's geographical boundaries, of which they saw an approximately 200 student decline. The other pool are non-resident shared service students of which they saw a nearly 400 student increase in one year and he doesn't think gaining 1,400 is out of the realm of possibility. However, he tells WHMI they'll adjust their numbers as the state requested. (JM/JK)
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