This week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer presented her budget recommendations for the next fiscal year, beginning on October 1. One of the key areas of the budget is always education and this year was no exception. The governor referred to it as a “Michigan Guarantee” that every child deserves a high-quality education from preschool through post-secondary. Below are aspects within the budget recommendations for the area of education.
K-12 Education:
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- $316 million to increase per-pupil funding by $241, bringing the total to $9,849
- $200 million to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students
- $155 million for districts to adopt and implement literacy tools
- $75 million to fund two programs that will help improve the educator talent pipeline
- $50 million for before and after school programs
- $3.3 million to provide literacy coaches
Community Colleges and Universities:
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- Total funding of $465.9 million ongoing, including a 2.5% increase for operations at community colleges
- Total funding for public universities is proposed at $2.3 billion, including a 2.5% increase for operations
- $4 million for the Michigan College Access Network, which works to improve access for low-income and first-generation students
Financial Aid:
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- A total investment of $545.9 million for public and private college students
- An additional $30 million deposit into the Postsecondary Scholarship Fund
- Creates the Community College Guarantee, providing future high school graduates an associate or skilled degree at a community college
- $62 million ongoing funding for Michigan Reconnect, which provides a tuition-free pathway for adults 25 and older
- An increase of $20 million for the Tuition Incentive Program, which provides tuition support to students who were eligible for Medicaid in high school
For more information on the executive budget recommendations, please visit https://www.michigan.gov/budget.
