LANSING, Mich. - Cuts have been made to the state’s school aid budget, sending shockwaves to educators and education policymakers.

With a historic school aid budget last year, this one doesn’t come close, those in the education field are saying.

Per pupil funding isn’t increasing and one thing that has left lawmakers and even those who advocate for education perplexed is the cut to the school mental and safety line item in the budget.

This year's original presented budget included 300 million dollars for school safety and mental health.

But the budget Michigan lawmakers passed on June 27 was significantly lower, that number 26.5 million dollars.

"The budget that was passed last week is significantly disappointing to every educator in the state right now," says Robert McCann, who is the Executive Director of the K12 Alliance of Michigan.

McCann says it’s not going to be easy for schools.

"That's the money that is not only upgraded equipment and policies but directly pays for the SROs and the police that are in many different school buildings around the state right now," says McCann.

Now the question is can these services be maintained for long term if schools are getting less money.

"Every district right now is scrambling because this is beyond a worst-case scenario budgeting-wise. This is you know, an absolute Red Alert being sounded in districts across the state right now. Because this is a significant divestment in some of these funds that are going to have a direct, direct impact on their operating ability next year," says McCann.

Some Republican lawmakers said they too decided to vote against the budget.

State Representative David Martin says the 82.5 billion dollar budget prioritizes pet projects.

He went on to say: “Gutting school safety and mental health funding us a serious mistake.”

This week, the state’s teachers union the Michigan Education Association said lawmakers need to invest more in school safety and mental health.

The MEA President says:

“With proper funding for mental health services, our schools can hire more mental health professionals who can work to identify and address relatively minor issues before they spiral out of control.”

“You're very likely going to see districts really having trouble maintaining the counselors that are in schools, the social workers that are in schools, you know, the people that we know help students succeed in the classroom," says McCann.

A report from the American School Counselor Association shows Michigan is the second worst state in the U.S. when it comes to student-per-counselor ratio.

The budget heads to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s desk for her approval, then it wouldn’t go into effect until October 1.