(1) From the state school aid fund money appropriated under section 11, there is allocated for 2024-2025 only an amount not to exceed $1,000,000.00 for support of the Michigan Education Research Institute.

    (2) Funding allocated under this section must be distributed to the University of Michigan's Michigan Education Data Center and Michigan State University's Education Policy Innovation Center for the purpose of working collaboratively with the department, the department of lifelong education, advancement, and potential, and the center to build and maintain a research ready dataset, and to conduct research of critical importance to the state's education goals.

    (3) The Michigan Education Research Institute shall use funds received under this section for the purpose of expanding on research that includes, but is not limited to, all the following:

    (a) Educator shortage.

    (b) Early literacy initiative outcomes.

    (c) Early childhood development programming outcomes.

    (4) Notwithstanding section 17b, the department shall make payments under this section on a schedule determined by the department.