3/25/2026

UPPER MICHIGAN - Small rural Michigan schools say competitive state grants are leave their students behind, because administrators do not have time to apply. Superintendents describe writing grants between recess duty, substitute teaching, and even snow removal. Michigan offers more than 100 grants worth about $7 billion, and the paperwork can take days. Bigger districts often have staff teams to handle it. Small districts say they are at a disadvantage to get funding for classes like welding, coding, and college credit. Current and former state education leaders also criticize the system that picks winners and losers. Some education officials urge funding formulas instead of competitions.