Michigan will spend nearly $100 million to support non-public school students, according to a report by the Citizens Research Council of Michigan. The report says the state will spend over $40 million more this year on non-public school students than it did just four years ago.
Click here to read the full report.
Craig Thiel, a senior research associate with the Citizens Research Council, says the money is largely going to the "shared time" program.
"The program allows non-public school students to enroll in elective classes at their public schools," Thiel says.
For instance, students from a private school could take a French class at their neighborhood public school, so long as that school district participates in "shared time."
"It is definitely a win-win for the participating non-public schools and the public schools," he says. "If there are any [parties who are disadvantaged] it's those public schools that aren't participating in the program."
Thiel says the state's School Aid Fund finances the "shared time" enrollment.
For the most recent year, about $60 per student per year is how much the program costs, according to Citizens Research Council.
Thiel says over a third of public school districts are participating in the shared time program.
