(The Center Square) – The recently passed Michigan budget would guarantee tuition-free community college for all residents, and expands access to tuition-free preschool.
The tuition-free community college program is paid for by $330 million in taxpayer dollars, an increase of $30 million from last year. The new program gets rid of income caps, so any student can receive free tuition at an in-district community college.
The Community College Guarantee builds off an existing Michigan Achievement Scholarship, which provides up to $2,750 a year for a community college, $4,000 a year for a private college or $5,500 a year for a public university. All pell grant recipients will receive an additional $1,000 per year regardless of the college, and all private college students can now receive up to $5,500 in aid.
While the $23.4 billion education spending plan does not fulfill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s goal of universal free preschool, the budget is 3.5% smaller than last year’s $24.3 billion education budget.