Mich. Comp. Laws § 388.1620 — MI Code / Chapter 388 / Act Act-94-of-1979 / Section 388.1620
Target foundation allowance; calculations; allocations; pupil membership factor, revenue adjustment factor, and index; reduced foundation allowance or per-pupil payment calculation; definitions.
Status: in_force

Sec. 20.

(1) For 2025-2026, the target foundation allowance is $10,050.00.

(2) The department shall calculate the amount of each district's foundation allowance as provided in this section, using a target foundation allowance in the amount specified in subsection (1).

(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section, the department shall calculate the amount of a district's foundation allowance as follows, using in all calculations the total amount of the district's foundation allowance as calculated before any proration:

(a) For a district that had a foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year that was equal to the target foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year, the district receives a foundation allowance in an amount equal to the target foundation allowance described in subsection (1) for the current fiscal year.

(b) For a district that had a foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year that was greater than the target foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year, the district's foundation allowance is an amount equal to the lesser of (the sum of the district's foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus any per pupil amount calculated under section 20m(2) in the immediately preceding fiscal year plus the increase in the target foundation allowance for the current fiscal year, as compared to the immediately preceding fiscal year) or (the product of the district's foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year times the percentage increase in the United States Consumer Price Index in the calendar year ending in the immediately preceding fiscal year as reported by the May revenue estimating conference conducted under section 367b of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1367b).

(c) For a district that had a foundation allowance in the immediately preceding fiscal year that was less than the target foundation allowance in effect for that fiscal year, the district's foundation allowance is an amount equal to the lesser of (the sum of district's foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year plus any per pupil amount calculated under section 20m(2) in the immediately preceding fiscal year plus the increase in the target foundation allowance for the current fiscal year, as compared to the immediately preceding fiscal year) or (the product of the district's foundation allowance for the immediately preceding fiscal year times the percentage increase in the United States Consumer Price Index in the calendar year ending in the immediately preceding fiscal year as reported by the May revenue estimating conference conducted under section 367b of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1367b).

(d) For a district that has a foundation allowance that is not a whole dollar amount, the department shall round the district's foundation allowance up to the nearest whole dollar.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the state portion of a district's foundation allowance is an amount equal to the district's foundation allowance or the target foundation allowance for the current fiscal year, whichever is less, minus the local portion of the district's foundation allowance. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, for a district described in subsection (3)(b) and (c), the state portion of the district's foundation allowance is an amount equal to the target foundation allowance minus the district's foundation allowance supplemental payment per pupil calculated under section 20m and minus the local portion of the district's foundation allowance. For a district that has a millage reduction required under section 31 of article IX of the state constitution of 1963, the department shall calculate the state portion of the district's foundation allowance as if that reduction did not occur. For a receiving district, if school operating taxes continue to be levied on behalf of a dissolved district that has been attached in whole or in part to the receiving district to satisfy debt obligations of the dissolved district under section 12 of the revised school code, MCL 380.12, the taxable value per membership pupil of property in the receiving district used for the purposes of this subsection does not include the taxable value of property within the geographic area of the dissolved district. For a community district, if school operating taxes continue to be levied by a qualifying school district under section 12b of the revised school code, MCL 380.12b, with the same geographic area as the community district, the taxable value per membership pupil of property in the community district to be used for the purposes of this subsection does not include the taxable value of property within the geographic area of the community district.

(5) The allocation calculated under this section for a pupil is based on the foundation allowance of the pupil's district of residence. For a pupil enrolled under section 105 or 105c in a district other than the pupil's district of residence, the allocation calculated under this section is based on the lesser of the foundation allowance of the pupil's district of residence or the foundation allowance of the educating district. For a pupil in membership in a K-5, K-6, or K-8 district who is enrolled in another district in a grade not offered by the pupil's district of residence, the allocation calculated under this section is based on the foundation allowance of the educating district if the educating district's foundation allowance is greater than the foundation allowance of the pupil's district of residence. The calculation under this subsection must take into account a district's per-pupil allocation under section 20m.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, for pupils in membership, other than special education pupils, in a public school academy, the allocation calculated under this section is an amount per membership pupil other than special education pupils in the public school academy equal to the target foundation allowance specified in subsection (1), or, for a public school academy that was issued a contract under section 552 of the revised school code, MCL 380.552, to operate as a school of excellence that is a cyber school, $10,050.00. Notwithstanding section 101, for a public school academy that begins operations after the pupil membership count day, the amount per membership pupil calculated under this subsection must be adjusted by multiplying that amount per membership pupil by the number of hours of pupil instruction provided by the public school academy after it begins operations, as determined by the department, divided by the minimum number of hours of pupil instruction required under section 101(3). The result of this calculation must not exceed the amount per membership pupil otherwise calculated under this subsection.

(7) For pupils in membership, other than special education pupils, in a community district, the allocation calculated under this section is an amount per membership pupil other than special education pupils in the community district equal to the foundation allowance of the qualifying school district, as described in section 12b of the revised school code, MCL 380.12b, that is located within the same geographic area as the community district.

(8) Subject to subsection (4), for a district that is formed or reconfigured after June 1, 2002 by consolidation of 2 or more districts or by annexation, the resulting district's foundation allowance under this section beginning after the effective date of the consolidation or annexation is the lesser of the sum of the average of the foundation allowances of each of the original or affected districts, calculated as provided in this section, weighted as to the percentage of pupils in total membership in the resulting district who reside in the geographic area of each of the original or affected districts plus $100.00 or the highest foundation allowance among the original or affected districts. This subsection does not apply to a receiving district unless there is a subsequent consolidation or annexation that affects the district. The calculation under this subsection must take into account a district's per-pupil allocation under section 20m.

(9) The department shall round each fraction used in making calculations under this section to the fourth decimal place and shall round the dollar amount of an increase in the target foundation allowance to the nearest whole dollar.

(10) State payments related to payment of the foundation allowance for a special education pupil are not calculated under this section but are instead calculated under section 51e.

(11) To assist the legislature in determining the target foundation allowance for the subsequent fiscal year, each revenue estimating conference conducted under section 367b of the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1367b, must calculate a pupil membership factor, a revenue adjustment factor, and an index as follows:

(a) The pupil membership factor is computed by dividing the estimated membership in the school year ending in the current fiscal year, excluding intermediate district membership, by the estimated membership for the school year ending in the subsequent fiscal year, excluding intermediate district membership. If a consensus membership factor is not determined at the revenue estimating conference, the principals of the revenue estimating conference shall report their estimates to the house and senate subcommittees responsible for school aid appropriations not later than 7 days after the conclusion of the revenue conference.

(b) The revenue adjustment factor is computed by dividing the sum of the estimated total state school aid fund revenue for the subsequent fiscal year plus the estimated total state school aid fund revenue for the current fiscal year, adjusted for any change in the rate or base of a tax the proceeds of which are deposited in that fund and excluding money transferred into that fund from the countercyclical budget and economic stabilization fund under the management and budget act, 1984 PA 431, MCL 18.1101 to 18.1594, by the sum of the estimated total school aid fund revenue for the current fiscal year plus the estimated total state school aid fund revenue for the immediately preceding fiscal year, adjusted for any change in the rate or base of a tax the proceeds of which are deposited in that fund. If a consensus revenue factor is not determined at the revenue estimating conference, the principals of the revenue estimating conference shall report their estimates to the house and senate subcommittees responsible for school aid appropriations not later than 7 days after the conclusion of the revenue conference.

(c) The index is calculated by multiplying the pupil membership factor by the revenue adjustment factor. If a consensus index is not determined at the revenue estimating conference, the principals of the revenue estimating conference shall report their estimates to the house and senate subcommittees responsible for state school aid appropriations not later than 7 days after the conclusion of the revenue conference.

(12) Payments to districts and public school academies are not made under this section. Rather, the calculations under this section are used to determine the amount of state payments under section 22b.

(13) If an amendment to section 2 of article VIII of the state constitution of 1963 allowing state aid to some or all nonpublic schools is approved by the voters of this state, each foundation allowance or per-pupil payment calculation under this section may be reduced.

(14) As used in this section:

(a) "Certified mills" means the lesser of 18 mills or the number of mills of school operating taxes levied by the district in 1993-94.

(b) "Current fiscal year" means the fiscal year for which a particular calculation is made.

(c) "Dissolved district" means a district that loses its organization, has its territory attached to 1 or more other districts, and is dissolved as provided under section 12 of the revised school code, MCL 380.12.

(d) "Immediately preceding fiscal year" means the fiscal year immediately preceding the current fiscal year.

(e) "Local portion of the district's foundation allowance" means an amount that is equal to the difference between (the sum of the product of the taxable value per membership pupil of all property in the district that is nonexempt property times the district's certified mills and, for a district with certified mills exceeding 12, the product of the taxable value per membership pupil of property in the district that is commercial personal property times the certified mills minus 12 mills) and (the quotient of the product of the captured assessed valuation under tax increment financing acts times the district's certified mills divided by the district's membership excluding special education pupils).

(f) "Membership" means the definition of that term under section 6 as in effect for the particular fiscal year for which a particular calculation is made.

(g) "Nonexempt property" means property that is not a principal residence, qualified agricultural property, qualified forest property, supportive housing property, industrial personal property, commercial personal property, or property occupied by a public school academy.

(h) "Principal residence", "qualified agricultural property", "qualified forest property", "supportive housing property", "industrial personal property", and "commercial personal property" mean those terms as defined in section 1211 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1211.

(i) "Receiving district" means a district to which all or part of the territory of a dissolved district is attached under section 12 of the revised school code, MCL 380.12.

(j) "School operating purposes" means the purposes included in the operation costs of the district as prescribed in sections 7 and 18 and purposes authorized under section 1211 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1211.

(k) "School operating taxes" means local ad valorem property taxes levied under section 1211 of the revised school code, MCL 380.1211, and retained for school operating purposes.

( l ) "Tax increment financing acts" means parts 2, 3, 4, and 6 of the recodified tax increment financing act, 2018 PA 57, MCL 125.4201 to 125.4420 and 125.4602 to 125.4629, or the brownfield redevelopment financing act, 1996 PA 381, MCL 125.2651 to 125.2670.

(m) "Taxable value per membership pupil" means taxable value, as certified by the county treasurer and reported to the department, for the calendar year ending in the current state fiscal year divided by the district's membership excluding special education pupils for the school year ending in the current state fiscal year.

History: Add. 1993, Act 336, Eff. Mar. 15, 1994; Am. 1994, Act 172, Imd. Eff. June 17, 1994; Am. 1994, Act 283, Imd. Eff. July 12, 1994; Am. 1994, Act 360, Imd. Eff. Dec. 22, 1994; Am. 1995, Act 130, Eff. Oct. 1, 1995; Am. 1996, Act 180, Imd. Eff. Apr. 19, 1996; Am. 1996, Act 300, Eff. Oct. 1, 1996; Am. 1997, Act 24, Imd. Eff. June 16, 1997; Am. 1997, Act 93, Eff. Oct. 1, 1997; Am. 1997, Act 142, Imd. Eff. Nov. 19, 1997; Am. 1998, Act 339, Imd. Eff. Oct. 13, 1998; Am. 1998, Act 553, Imd. Eff. Jan. 27, 1999; Am. 1999, Act 119, Imd. Eff. July 20, 1999; Am. 2000, Act 297, Imd. Eff. July 26, 2000; Am. 2001, Act 121, Imd. Eff. Sept. 28, 2001; Am. 2002, Act 191, Imd. Eff. Apr. 26, 2002; Am. 2002, Act 521, Imd. Eff. July 25, 2002; Am. 2003, Act 141, Eff. Jan. 1, 2004; Am. 2003, Act 158, Imd. Eff. Aug. 11, 2003; Am. 2004, Act 351, Imd. Eff. Sept. 30, 2004; Am. 2005, Act 155, Eff. Oct. 1, 2005; Am. 2006, Act 120, Imd. Eff. Apr. 14, 2006; Am. 2006, Act 342, Eff. Oct. 1, 2006; Am. 2007, Act 137, Imd. Eff. Nov. 8, 2007; Am. 2008, Act 268, Eff. Oct. 1, 2008; Am. 2008, Act 561, Imd. Eff. Jan. 16, 2009; Am. 2009, Act 73, Imd. Eff. July 9, 2009; Am. 2009, Act 121, Imd. Eff. Oct. 19, 2009; Am. 2010, Act 110, Imd. Eff. July 8, 2010; Am. 2011, Act 62, Eff. Oct. 1, 2011; Am. 2012, Act 201, Eff. Oct. 1, 2012; Am. 2013, Act 60, Eff. Oct. 1, 2013; Am. 2013, Act 97, Eff. Oct. 1, 2013; Am. 2013, Act 130, Imd. Eff. Oct. 9, 2013; Am. 2014, Act 196, Eff. Oct. 1, 2014; Am. 2015, Act 85, Eff. Oct. 1, 2015; Am. 2016, Act 249, Eff. Oct. 1, 2016; Am. 2016, Act 313, Eff. Oct. 6, 2016; Am. 2017, Act 108, Eff. Oct. 1, 2017; Am. 2018, Act 265, Eff. Oct. 1, 2018; Am. 2019, Act 58, Eff. Oct. 1, 2019; Am. 2019, Act 162, Imd. Eff. Dec. 20, 2019; Am. 2020, Act 146, Imd. Eff. July 31, 2020; Am. 2020, Act 165, Eff. Oct. 1, 2020; Am. 2021, Act 48, Eff. Oct. 1, 2021; Am. 2022, Act 144, Imd. Eff. July 14, 2022; Am. 2023, Act 103, Imd. Eff. July 21, 2023; Am. 2023, Act 320, Eff. Feb. 13, 2024; Am. 2024, Act 120, Eff. Oct. 1, 2024; Am. 2025, Act 15, Imd. Eff. Oct. 7, 2025