The Montague school board approved one-time stipends that will be paid to most of the district's staff over the next month at its regular board meeting Monday evening.
The stipends were approved by a 6-0 vote following an agreement with the two associations representing the majority of Montague staff: the Montague Teachers Education Association and the Montague Education Support Personnel Association. Board president Joel Smith was absent, and vice-president Amanda Dahl oversaw the meeting.
These stipends result from new language in Section 27L of the Michigan State School Aid Act for this fiscal year, designed to offset costs associated with contributing to retiree health benefits.
Superintendent Jeffrey Johnson said all eligible district employees will receive $756 stipends over the next several weeks. Recipients can choose to have the funds added to their paychecks or placed directly into their retirement accounts. According to the Michigan Office of Retirement Services, the stipends will be reportable as compensation.
Johnson said determining how to allocate funds to district employees was "a smooth process" and thanked both associations for their work in negotiations.
Just prior to the meeting, Doug Schmidt was sworn in as the board's newest trustee. Schmidt was appointed to take Brent Raeth's seat after Raeth moved out of the district, necessitating his departure from the board.
During superintendent remarks, Johnson discussed Michigan Senate Bill 492, which the state senate passed last week. The bill would require Michigan schools not to disenroll a student who is transferring until they receive written confirmation from the new school that the student is enrolled. Under the bill, the receiving school must request the student's records within 14 days of enrollment, and the former school must provide them within 30 days of the request.
Johnson also shared that state budgets for the 2026-27 fiscal year are being discussed in Lansing, with Governor Gretchen Whitmer proposing a per-pupil funding increase of 2.5%, to $10,300. Johnson added that the proposal called for a 6% increase to weighted foundation allowance items such as at-risk students, special education and students for whom English is not their first language. That funding would still be based on the number of such students in the district, Johnson said, but would allow for more variety in how the money is spent.
The board made 6-0 approvals to participate in the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District's School of Choice program and to designate treasurer Emily Fullmer to attend the ISD's annual budget review. Johnson noted that under the School of Choice program, Montague routinely gains more students than it loses.
