UP schools see budget increase for 2022-23 school year

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - Schools across Upper Michigan are seeing budget increases for the 2022-23 academic year.

At a meeting Monday, Marquette Area Public Schools (MAPS) Superintendent Zack Sedgwick said the district has more money for facilities, hiring and training educators and student mental health. This is in large part due to Michigan’s bipartisan education budget signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in July.

It allocates $9,150 in funding per student, with $250 million for improving educational facilities across the state. MAPS Board Member Jennifer Ray praised the state legislature’s bipartisan decision to give districts like MAPS the funding it needs.

“The state funding is for once doing what it should for our children, so that is amazing,” Ray said. “Hopefully, we keep moving forward in that direction.”

Sedgwick added that one of many improvements coming is a new boiler at Marquette Senior High School.

At Monday’s meeting, the board unanimously approved a bid from Gordon Food Service to purchase its school lunch pizzas. The board also accepted bids for bakery items from Scott Brenneman Distribution Company and for dairy products from Jilbert Dairy.

“In my time with MAPS, we usually experience a $0.005 increase per carton of milk, but this school year, we are looking at an increase of $0.07 per carton of milk,” MAPS Food Services Director Christopher Collins said. “This is unprecedented, I have never seen this before. Another cost increase will be with bakery items.”

Despite all these price increases, Collins explained that MAPS is aiming to expand its awareness to parents about the reduced and free lunch program.

“We are increasing the access for families,” Collins said. “We now have the online capability on Skyward for families to apply for free and reduced meals.”

Superintendent Sedgwick also noted that MAPS kindergarten enrollment is up across the board. MAPS Board Member James Randall said he is impressed by this upward trend. He attributed this to the talent of the teachers at MAPS.

“It is amazing that we continue to rise above,” Randall said. “It says a lot about our teaching staff and how we are able to keep getting the word out.”

MAPS schools welcome students back on Tuesday, Sept. 6.