HOUGHTON - On Friday the State Legislature met in Lansing to vote on a $44 billion state spending plan. The budget covers departments such as public schools, universities, state prisons and health care.

State Rep. Mike Lahti said it was a long day but things went smoothly.

Unfortunately local public schools will not be receiving as much funding as anticipated. Lahti said the funding for K-12 will be less than expected.

"Regrettably local public schools will be receiving less than a $100 increase per pupil. Most of the budgets were down from the government recommendations because of the less revenue projections," Lahti said. "Higher-ed, such as Michigan Technological University and Northern Michigan University went up a flat one percent."

Associated Press reported that community colleges funding will increase an average of two percent, although the amount will vary by school.

Lahti said a meeting is scheduled later this month to finalize plans for the remaining of the state budget.

Houghton and Hancock public schools have been aware of the budget situation for months. Both schools planned ahead for the 2008-2009 term.

"We keep hearing different types of plans. When this started the plan was 216 per pupil to 40 per pupil. School districts are expect to come up with a budget and come up with how that will be spent but we don't know what it is," said Houghton-Portage Superintendent William Polkinghorne.

"The point is that we understand the condition of the state physically, and we know there isn't that much money," said Hancock Superintendent John Vaara.

Polkinghorne agrees that the state is in bad condition.

"The state is trying to distribute money to everyone and there is no way to please everyone. But the fact that remains is that the state is not funding the schools adequately. Schools will now have to change how they do business," Polkinghorne said.

Polkinghorne said that there have been proposals by urban Michigan school boards to break up bigger schools and build smaller schools. Governor Jennifer Granholm is in charge of the project and plans to create 100 small high schools with no more than 400 students each.

The project would allow students to get more individual attention and help reduce Michigan's dropout rates.

According to the Associated Press, Granholm wants to address the dropout rate and give every child a chance. Granholm would like some of the smaller schools to open in late 2009.

"One concern is that there is $300 million to create small schools and this would be primarily urban areas," Vaara said. "It would be like taking Detroit and breaking it into smaller schools."

Vaara is not sure if he likes the idea of the $300 million bill.

"My concern is if there will be enough money to cover state increases or are we going to face a deduct," he said.

Schools have been forced to do staff cut backs. Polkinghorne said that schools are in a difficult time and it is frustrating for everyone involved.

"Everyone else in the school system is the support and we have laid off support staff, administrative, bus drivers and custodial staff. We have been doing this for the past five years in hopes of the state turning it around but it is apparent that the state won't turn around for quite a while," Polkinghorne said.