03/29/2006

Funding for community colleges may get a boost

State Senate approves funding formula

LANSING (AP) — The state's 28 community colleges would get funding increases ranging from 1.6 percent to 3.4 percent under legislation approved Tuesday by the Michigan Senate.

The bill, approved 36-0, heads to the House.

Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm had proposed an across-the-board 2 percent increase for the schools. But the Republican-controlled Senate approved a new funding formula for the colleges, with support from both Democrats and Republicans.

The formula was developed by a group of bipartisan lawmakers and community college presidents in recent months.