Downriver Today

In celebration of March as Reading Month, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist (D-Mich.) visited Adlai Stevenson Elementary School in Southfield in late March and read to students, according to a news release. Gilchrist read the book "Giraffe Problems" by Jory John.

"I greatly enjoyed visiting and reading with the third graders of Adlai Stevenson Elementary in Southfield," Gilchrist said. "I was able to meet with these bright young students and future leaders, as well as the committed educators who are nurturing and supporting them every day. Gov. Whitmer and I are committed to supporting our students and valued educators in schools throughout Michigan, which is why we proposed a historic education budget to boost per-student funding, deliver bonuses to educators and staff, and keep students and staff safe.”

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.) in 2019 signed a School Aid Fund budget to increase the number of literacy coaches in schools. Whitmer protected funding for schools during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also introduced new investments in education that are focused on providing students, teachers, and adults across Michigan with necessary resources, according to the news release.

"The budget included $161 million in flexible per-pupil spending to help districts address the increased costs of educating students, $5.6 million for mental health counselors to assist children in schools across Michigan with mental health needs, $5 million in incentives to attract and retain first-year teachers, and an increase of $5.7 million to continue to fund literacy coaches and expand resources to improve training for other educators in best practices of literacy learning," the release said.

Whitmer in December 2021 signed a supplemental bill that "invests nearly $1 billion in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan into Michigan's families, communities, and small businesses," the release said. Investments in schools included $10 million to support teacher recruitment, training, development, and retention, plus $150 million for COVID school testing to keep students safe and attending school in person.