07/30/2024
ALL 2023 and 2024 grads are eligible for the new Community College Guarantee! Deadlines to register for the Fall term are fast approaching... reach out and enroll soon!
I'm in Flint today fired up to sign my sixth record education budget. We're writing a new chapter for Michigan's future, and spoiler alert: This budget builds on the work we've done to invest in our students, build up our schools, and support our teachers.Let's get into it š
Since I took office, we have raised per-pupil equivalent funding by 26%. Thatās thousands more invested directly into your childās education and classroom. This budget continues our all-time high per-pupil investmentāover $10,000 per kidāand keeps the school funding gap closed.
On top of record per-pupil funding, we're:
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Delivering additional resources to at-risk students, English language learners, rural districts, and special education students
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Supporting before and after-school programming
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Tackling our literacy crisis head-on
We will continue to feed our kids. Every single Michigan public school studentāall 1.4 million of themāwill keep getting free breakfast and lunch at school.
And we're not only feeding kids during the school year. Weāll keep feeding them over the summer too.
This budget keeps supporting āMeet Up and Eat Upā programs, which offer any Michigander 18 and under free meals all summer long.
So much of our success depends on the teachers and staff who show up every day and fight for their students as if they were their own. Thatās why we prioritized public education after decades of disinvestment. We raised educator pay and rolled back the retirement tax on retirees.
This budget delivers a heck of a lot for our educators.
It puts money back in the pockets of our high-quality, veteran teachers. It continues helping current teachers pay back their student loans. It continues to pay student teachers and funds the MI Future Educator Fellowship.
Earlier this year, I proposed the Michigan Guarantee, a plan to give every kid access to a free, public education from pre-K through community college.
I am proud that in this yearās budget, we got it done.
In this budget, we are expanding access to free pre-K to every four-year-old, prioritizing families who need it most. Getting this done saves parents $10,000 a year and helps every kid arrive at kindergarten more ready to learn.
This budget will allow every high school graduate to earn an associateās degree or skills certificate at their local community college, tuition-free. This is a life-changing opportunity for nearly 20,000 young people annually, putting them on a path to a better-paying job.
For those who want to go back to school or switch careers, we are still funding Michigan Reconnect, which offers anyone 25 and older a tuition-free degree or skills training at their local community college - so apply now!
We're also expanding the Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which lowers the cost of private or public college by up to $27,500.
Additionally, we're increasing the Tuition Incentive Program and fully funding the Michigan Indian Tuition Waiver, two programs that open doors of higher education to groups too often left out or left behind.
In Michigan, we want everyone to get on the path thatās best for them. Whether youāre headed to trade school, starting a union-backed apprenticeship, or going to community college tuition-free, you deserve a fair shot at your dream.
Thank you to the Michigan Legislature and so many outside advocates for their partnership to get this done. Itās always fun to make history, but even more fun when you have good friends by your side.
