Statement on Governor Whitmer’s 2025-26 Michigan Budget Proposal

Statement of Onjila Odeneal, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy for Michigan at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS): 

“TICAS applauds Governor Whitmer’s continued commitment to ensuring every Michigander has equitable access to prosperity in the Great Lakes State. These budget investments have directly contributed to the increase in degree and credential attainment to 51.8 percent, (up from 45% in 2019), getting the state closer to its “Sixty by 30” goal. To drive Michigan’s educational attainment even higher, the Governor has proposed continued and increased investment in: 

• State higher education financial aid programs (to a total of over $555 million), 

• Student advising and resource supports ($15 million),   

• Programming for career and technical education, career exploration, and workforce development (over $185 million), 

• Investments in higher education for individuals who are incarcerated ($2 million), and 

• Investments to support students and families’ basic needs ($59 million).  

“In addition to these investments in students and families, the Governor has also proposed a four percent increase in operational funding for Michigan’s public community colleges and universities, to continue the state’s universal preschool for 4-year-olds and school lunch programs, and to expand mental health services in K-12 schools. Together, these investments will put families in a stronger position to thrive, effectively prepare students to pursue education after high school, and provide higher education institutions with the resources they need to help their students graduate with a degree.  

“We also applaud the sustained investments in the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Attainment, and Potential (MiLEAP), streamlining state aid programs and creating new, consolidated public outreach efforts increasing access to the state’s financial aid programs. For example, administrative updates and a concerted public outreach campaign helped increase uptake of the Tuition Incentive Program (TIP) covering tuition and fee costs for Michigan’s lowest income families. Further, the department has invested in new tools like the Postsecondary State-Funded Student Aid Dashboard that will allow us to continue to monitor the effectiveness of state programs and advocate for their continued improvement.  

“To ensure these investments continue to have the maximum impact on Michigan students and families, we recommend the state take care to make these opportunities as well known and accessible to the public as possible through comprehensive communication efforts, streamlined online resources, and increased capacity to assist Michiganders in accessing these resources. 

“In moving closer to attainment goals, the state should work to proactively connect individuals across supportive state programs, maximizing investment utilization so that Michiganders get the workforce training, basic needs resources, and other support they need to thrive. For example, when Michiganders participate in entry level workforce development programming, they should be provided with resources on how to access state financial aid programs and information on stackable credential pathways to help aid in the next steps in building their careers. The state should continue to review the uptake, impact, and effectiveness of these investments and seek opportunities for improvement.

“We look forward to continuing to partner with the Governor and legislature to bring high quality education and training within reach for every Michigander. To learn more about the specific investments in the Governor’s budget recommendation and how they align with TICAS MI’s priorities, you can view our budget fact sheet below.”