Candidates emphasize lobbying Lansing and local coalitions to address Michigan school funding shortfall

The forum opened its funding discussion by noting that "Michigan schools are underfunded by more than $4.5 billion," a point organizers used to frame candidate responses on state funding. Candidates described a mix of strategies to increase revenues: direct lobbying of state legislators in Lansing, supporting the Invest in My Kids statewide initiative, collaborating with other local boards, and exploring enhancement/millage options at the county level.

Becca Hogan said she had worked with the Michigan Education Justice Coalition and helped collect signatures for Invest in My Kids; Don Wilkerson described leading successful millage campaigns and sitting with ISD auditors after a $7.7 million special‑education shortfall to understand gaps. Several candidates also stressed local financial stewardship—improving enrollment, programmatic investments that demonstrate results, and bringing back transparent finance advisory structures so the district can make a stronger case to state lawmakers.