Viewpoint: Michigan schools get $160M in federal Medicaid funds. Cuts would harm students
In a time of deep political division, it's rare for management and labor to speak with one, united voice. But this moment calls for exactly that. Michigan's congressional delegation must protect Medicaid and reject any proposals that would cut or cap this critical program. Doing so would devastate our public schools and put Michigan students at risk.
Medicaid may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about education funding, but for hundreds of school districts across our state, it's a lifeline. In the 2023 school year alone, Michigan schools received over $160 million in federal Medicaid dollars — funds used to support students with disabilities, deliver mental health care, and help children succeed in the classroom and beyond.
These services are not optional. They are essential. Cutting Medicaid would mean pulling therapists, school psychologists, nurses, and paraprofessionals away from the students who rely on them most. It would stretch already-limited school resources even thinner and leave educators and administrators without the tools to meet the needs of our most vulnerable learners.
Nearly every district in Michigan, rural and urban alike, participates in the Medicaid School Services Program, which helps reimburse schools for health-related services delivered to students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). From speech therapy to physical therapy to mental health supports, these services make it possible for students with disabilities to learn, grow, and participate fully in school life.
And it's not just special education that's on the line. Through the C4S (Care for Students) program, Medicaid also helps schools deliver critical health and mental health services to the general education population. The rise in youth mental health needs is well documented, and school leaders are working hard to respond. Losing Medicaid funding now would be a crushing setback.
Let's be clear: this isn't just about dollars. It's about outcomes. It's about equity. Students cannot learn if their basic health needs are not met. Medicaid ensures that students from low-income families, students with disabilities, and students facing mental health challenges don't fall through the cracks.
It's also about stability for school budgets. If these federal Medicaid dollars disappear, schools will be forced to make painful cuts or backfill these services with limited general fund dollars, robbing classrooms to pay for care that should be covered. That's an impossible choice for districts already operating under tight constraints.
As education leaders representing the people who run our schools and the educators who bring them to life daily, we are urging Congress to reject any proposal that cuts or caps Medicaid. The future of our students depends on it.
Michigan's public schools are still recovering from the disruptions of the pandemic. We are working hard to improve literacy rates, address absenteeism, and close opportunity gaps. Now is not the time to pull the rug out from under the very supports that help students thrive.
Congress must protect Medicaid — for our schools, our educators, and most importantly, our students.
Erik Edoff is the senior executive director of the Michigan Education Association, and Peter Spadafore is the executive director of the Michigan Association for Student Opportunity.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Opinion: Medicaid cuts would harm Michigan public school students
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