MIDLAND — To help promote fact-based discussions of school funding, the Mackinac Center for Public Policy has updated its Michigan School District Revenue and Expenditure Report with data through the 2017-18 school year.

The online database allows users to compare both broad and detailed financial figures for individual districts and charter schools throughout the state, going back to 2003-04. It also includes statewide K-12 financial totals and trends.

In a time when Michigan education spending continues to be closely scrutinized and fiercely debated, this report provides access to the latest data available on school finances.

In 2017-18, revenues for all local districts, charter schools and intermediate school districts totaled $14,249 for each pupil attending school on the fall count day. This number rises to $15,221 per student if based on average daily attendance.

The data is provided by the Michigan Department of Education and mirrors information publicly accessible from the U.S. Department of Education. These same data were used as the basis for a recent study from Michigan State University that aimed to show a general decline in school funding effort by the state.

However, the financial figures used by MSU researchers to compare Michigan trends with other states were only available through 2014-15. Michigan schools experienced real revenue hits during the state's long economic decline that began in the early 2000s and lasted into the Great Recession. But rebounding local property taxes and annual boosts in state aid have driven Michigan per-pupil funding to an all-time high, even after adjusting for inflation.

"A thorough analysis of the state of school funding in Michigan requires a look at the complete and latest numbers available," said Ben DeGrow, director of education policy. "People can check out our database to see three additional years of data that show revenues rising steadily, even as student enrollment keeps falling. They can also observe how a local district's financial picture is changing and how it compares to what's going on statewide."

You can view the school funding database here.

More information on how school funding works in Michigan is available here.