Michigan budget deal includes millions for training programs, increase in college funding

Michigan will invest more than $135 million in a series of programs designed to get more students into and through college in the coming fiscal year, according to the bipartisan budget agreement between the state Legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The budget deal will also increase base funding to the state's community colleges and public universities by 1% and provide a one-time 4% bump.

“I am proud that we came together to make critical investments in working people’s futures and also help businesses grow in Michigan by having access to a highly-skilled workforce,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I believe that every Michigander deserves a path to a good-paying, high-skill job, and I am proud of the game-changing programs we have established — Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners —putting over 160,000 Michiganders and counting on a tuition-free path to higher education or skills training. When working families succeed, we all succeed, and I am excited for the unbridled potential that these investments will unlock.”   

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The budget, which now will begin its passage through various legislative committees, contains:

• $55 million for the Reconnect program to provide a tuition-free pathway to an in-demand industry certificate or associate degree for Michigan adults age 25 and older.
• $25 million for the Futures for Frontliners scholarship program that pays for front-line workers to attend local community college tuition-free. 
• $40 million for the Going Pro program to expand employer-based training grants that result in industry-recognized credentials and certificates.
• $6 million for wraparound supports for Reconnect or Futures for Frontliners to remove barriers to degree completion. 
• $8 million for pre-apprenticeship/apprenticeship training programs that will expand Michigan’s talent pool in the construction and building trades.  
• $1 million for Focus: HOPE to support workforce development, youth development, and community empowerment and advocacy programs.

“The resources provided in this budget for Michigan Reconnect and Futures for Frontliners are vital for Michigan’s community colleges and their role in moving our state forward,” Lansing Community College President Steve Robinson said in a statement.

Futures for Frontliners, inspired by the G.I. Bill that provided college education to those serving their country in WWII, was initially announced by Whitmer in April. It covers people who work in medical fields, manufacturing, nursing homes, grocery stores, sanitation, delivery, retail and more.

Contact David Jesse: 313-222-8851 or djesse@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter: @reporterdavidj. Subscribe to the Detroit Free Press.