In response to Michigan’s final state budget agreement for Fiscal Year 2024-25, Onjila Odeneal, Senior Director of Policy and Advocacy for Michigan at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), issued the following statement:
“TICAS congratulates Governor Whitmer and the Michigan legislature on finalizing a budget that prioritizes boosting student FAFSA completion and improving college affordability for Michiganders. The $82.5 billion budget includes expansions of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship (MAS), that will now guarantee a tuition-free community college pathway for Michiganders regardless of age as well as a $1,000 state award for students eligible for the federal Pell Grant that can be used to cover non-tuition costs. The MAS changes also include expanding administrative rules for the maximum award to be applied towards a student’s full cost of attendance, not just tuition and fees. These are big changes for students facing steep colleges costs and represent a landmark step for the state’s efforts to improve college affordability and bring postsecondary education within closer reach for all of Michigan’s students and families. In total, the budget supports four (4) of the seven (7) TICAS MI priorities selected and voted on by the MI community this fiscal year:
- Improve the Michigan Achievement Scholarship
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- $30M MAS expansions for tuition-free 2-year for everyone, closing the state aid age gap; and
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- Expanding rules of MAS to apply the award to the full cost of attendance, improving state aid utilization and addressing equitable access to state financial aid.
- Provide additional state aid for non-tuition costs (top priority identified by the 2023-24 inaugural class of TICAS MI Student fellows)
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- New state aid award providing $1000 per year to Pell eligible community college students to help cover non-tuition costs
- Enhance career development and exposure for students
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- $3.2 million to help recruit, retain, and support adult students pursue a postsecondary education;
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- $2.5 million to establish an Office of Rural Prosperity to enhance access to housing, education, and workforce opportunities;
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- $2.45 million in career exposure programs for high school students; and
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- $1.2 million for career and education navigators for adult students.
- Improve state aid reporting
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- New required annual state reporting on institutional cost of attendance
Other notable, student-centered investments included in the final budget are:
- Moving state financial aid programs from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funding allocation to General Funds, which ensures TANF resources are going to families the program is designed for;
- $10 million to boost to aid FAFSA completion by making it a high school graduation requirement;
- $1 million for the MILEAP department to partner with Michigan institutions on creating and managing transfer pathways;
- $500,000 for the Hunger Free Campus Pilot Program at two Michigan public universities and community colleges;
- $500,000 to build improved 2-year to 4-year to career pathways for public safety, education, and health care programs;
- $75 million for the MI Future Educator Fellowship and Stipend programs, which provides financial assistance to students aspiring to be educators; and
- Passage of Senate Bill SB350, that will allow Michigan Promise Zones to now help students cover the full cost of attendance towards earning a degree or skilled credential.
“All these investments build on the state’s major strides to make higher education more affordable to all Michiganders. They will work collectively to break down persistent equity barriers to higher education accessibility, affordability, and completability for thousands of Michigan students and families, especially for students that need the most support. The new reporting requirements will also ensure we have more consistent flows of information on the full cost of college to continue to inform affordability efforts in the future.
“This fall we will continue to advocate for new resources to attract and retain school counselors. MI student to counselor ratio rank recently dropped from 48th to 49th nationwide at 598 to 1. We will also continue to advocate for improving access to state housing resources, including by eliminating penalties that prevent otherwise eligible Michiganders from qualifying because they are enrolled in a postsecondary program. Lastly, we remain committed to improving and streamlining the state aid financial aid disbursement process to ensure all eligible students receive their state aid as seamlessly as possible.
“We are optimistic about ongoing opportunities and collaboration toward investments and solutions that address the real needs of Michiganders. Together, we can continue to make the most of the investments the state has made by finding new and creative ways to build stronger education to career pipelines. Investing in student access, experiences, and completion wherever they enroll, no matter who they are, is how we will ensure that higher education becomes a viable pathway for all Michiganders, leading to a healthier, happier and more sustainable community and economy.”
