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submitted 9 months ago by MicroWave@lemmy.world to c/news@lemmy.world

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer plans to urge state lawmakers to pass legislation that would provide free community college tuition for all high school graduates during her sixth State of the State speech on Wednesday.

Whitmer also prioritized community college access in her annual address last year. State lawmakers responded by temporarily lowering the minimum age for free tuition from 25 to 21 years old. The Democratic governor now wants to expand the program by removing all age requirements for free community college, according to details of her plan provided to The Associated Press by Whitmer’s office.

Whitmer’s administration created the Michigan Reconnect program in 2021, aiming to increase the percentage of the state’s workforce with a postsecondary degree or training from 50.5% to 60% by 2030. It made Michigan residents 25 years and older eligible for free community college tuition.

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[-] Veedem@lemmy.world 96 points 9 months ago

Seems like a great idea to me. Invest in the population and it’ll pay off, long term.

One of my greatest regrets is dropping out of college. I’m doing ok, thankfully, but it hasn’t been an easy path.

[-] circuitfarmer@lemmy.sdf.org 50 points 9 months ago

You mean requiring a whole population to pay out of pocket for absolutely everything before they can afford it doesn't lead to growth?

[-] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 30 points 9 months ago

One of my greatest regrets is dropping out of college. I’m doing ok, thankfully, but it hasn’t been an easy path.

This is one of those regrets in life you can actually undo!

I dropped out of Community College after a year there at age 19. I went back to that same Community College at about 34 and finished my Associates Degree at night/weekends while working full time. One really nice thing was all of my credits earned as a teenager were still valid after almost 14 years away. I meant that my time there as a teenager wasn't wasted. I transferred all my credits to University again doing school at night/weekends and finished my Bachelors at age 39. It was one of the best decisions of my life.

Before going back to school I had all kind of anxiety about it. It was much easier as mature adult than as a teenager. I'm happy to share advice or just encouragement if it will help you.

[-] Altofaltception@lemmy.world 9 points 9 months ago

The Republicans will hate this one trick.

[-] kent_eh@lemmy.ca 8 points 9 months ago

Certainly a much better approach than "I love the poorly educated".

[-] AA5B@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

As society gets more complex, it’s more important than ever for everyone to be more educated. The death of journalism, rise of online scams, gutting of consumer protections and degeneration of politics makes it more critical for people to learn to think

[-] FartsWithAnAccent@lemmy.world 61 points 9 months ago

Calm down Michigan, save some good ideas for the rest of us!

[-] hddsx@lemmy.ca 40 points 9 months ago

It’s balanced by our lovely bunch of insurrectionists

[-] Pulptastic@midwest.social 49 points 9 months ago

Every tax dollar spent on education brings in more than $1 net present value of future income tax.

[-] neptune@dmv.social 36 points 9 months ago

Yes but what if Lenin comes back from the dead and makes my kids gay?

[-] RGB3x3@lemmy.world 12 points 9 months ago

Then it's $1 net present value of future income tax + Undead Lenin and more gay kids.

I don't see the issue here.

On a different note, Undead Lenin is a kickass band name.

[-] Pulptastic@midwest.social 6 points 9 months ago

Undead Lenin the Gaymaker

[-] LowtierComputer@lemmy.world 7 points 9 months ago

The fates can be cruel.

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[-] BigMacHole@lemm.ee 42 points 9 months ago

SOCIALIST! REAL Patriots use Tax Dollars to give Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos more money, NOT Educate Kids!

[-] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 25 points 9 months ago

Already in effect in California. :)

[-] Toastypickle@lemmy.world 20 points 9 months ago

Surprisingly, in Tennessee now, too. Just wish it had been a thing 20 years ago

[-] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

Yeah I agree. Better than never!

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[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 21 points 9 months ago

TIL community colleges are not free...

[-] PM_Your_Nudes_Please@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

Definitely cheaper than public/private colleges, but not free. I think my classes came out to ~$1k per semester when I was going to my local community college. It’s still a significant sum for many, but it meant I didn’t need to take out student loans and could pay it off via part time work.

[-] cosmicrookie@lemmy.world 14 points 9 months ago

It's a wild comparison. I live in Denmark where you get paid $948 each month for attending college (or any education).

So I assumed that at least it would be free in the US.

[-] ohlaph@lemmy.world 10 points 9 months ago

Education and medical is outrageously expensive in America. I have had college text books cost $300. For one book.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

Oh we decided that even the state schools should cost more than most people can afford. I don't know why.

[-] Fedizen@lemmy.world 5 points 9 months ago

US corporations like workers to have debt etc. This gives them more power over employees.

[-] FlyingSquid@lemmy.world 19 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Free college and legal weed? Why do you have to be so cold, Michigan?

See also: Canada.

[-] AeonFelis@lemmy.world 4 points 9 months ago

There is this theory that cultures that were developing in colder places had less reason to be wary of strangers, due to diseases being less transmittable in the cold, and because of that they turned out more progressive.

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 18 points 9 months ago

Oooo, I like this. Free Associates Degree and if you want to go on to get a Bachelor's it now costs 50% less!

Stick it straight to the for-profit college system.

[-] papertowels@lemmy.one 8 points 9 months ago

IIRC New Mexico residents actually get free tuition at all state public universities (including 4 years)

[-] Aghast@lemmy.world 6 points 9 months ago

As a resident in Michigan, this is good news but definitely not something we need to focus on at this point in time.

The state government needs to focus on the basics and by that I mean clean water. Flint still has a water crisis and many cities like Brenton Harbor as well as northern Michigan towns face the same issues.

It is possible they can fix the water infrastructure and provide free community college since they do have a large budget surplus.

https://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/news/michigans-2024-budget-will-spend-all-but-3-of-states-9b-surplus

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this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2024
794 points (99.0% liked)

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