By AP
LANSING, MI –
The Michigan Department of Education has approved payments of $100 per student to 177 school districts statewide for adopting measures such as privatizing or consolidating services.
The Detroit News reports Monday that those districts have begun receiving payment installments. Districts have until June to apply for the funds tied to "best practices." Districts faced cuts of $470 per student under the state's budget, so the money can help ease that cut.
The state plans to distribute about $154 million in incentive funds.
Jan Ellis, a spokeswoman for the Department of Education, said the payments for 2011-12 will be based 90 percent on the student count taken in districts in October and the remainder on a February count. That formula also is used to calculate state aid to public schools.