Dearest reader,
Here's what these numbers mean.
Michigan requires teachers and certain other school personnel to hold the certification, authorization, or permit required for the position in which they are working.
When a district employs someone in a teaching or counseling assignment who does not meet the applicable certification requirements, the state can reduce the district's state aid under Section 163.
And those deductions show up in a rather interesting place: the Michigan Department of Education's State Aid Financial Status Reports.
For Kent County, the August 2026 report shows these three 2025 Section 163 "NON-CERT TEACHER/COUNSELOR" deductions:
Grand Rapids Public Schools — $76,343.92
Northview Public Schools — $16,192.83
Rockford Public Schools — $13,379.43
Combined: $105,916.18
One important piece of context: these reports do not tell us who the employee was, what position they held, or precisely what certification or permit issue caused the deduction.
So these numbers are not the end of the rabbit hole.
They're the beginning.
With receipts and respect.
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