Here’s the plain truth: We Michiganders have been lying to ourselves.

We tell ourselves that there is nothing more important than our children, that we are striving to build a better state for them to inherit, that nothing is too good for them. That they are our futures.

But it’s hard to reconcile that worthy sentiment with a new Michigan State University report’s findings: Compared to other states, Michigan ranks dead last when it comes to growth in education funding.

While other states have increased the amount of money they spend on education, Michigan’s inflation-adjusted allocation has dropped 30 percent since 2002. It’s worse for at-risk kids, for whom school funds have dropped 60 percent since 2001.

Source: Why is Michigan leading the retreat on K-12 spending?