Dear Friend,

A few months ago, I pitched what I?m calling the ?Michigan Guarantee.? It?s a simple promise with huge implications: Every child in Michigan deserves a free education from pre-K through community college.

Now, it?s time to act.

As we work to finalize the FY2025 state budget, Michigan?s legislators have an extraordinary opportunity to guarantee every child in Michigan can get an education that sets them up for a lifetime of prosperity. No matter who you are or where you are from, every child deserves a fair shot at success. That is non-negotiable.

By delivering free pre-K to every four-year-old and tuition-free community college for every high school graduate, we can save families tens of thousands of dollars, benefit generations of Michiganders, and put our state on a path to boost family incomes and our economy.

Michigan has proven that we're ready to make big changes. Over the past few years, in partnership with the legislature, we have delivered free breakfast and lunch to every public-school student in Michigan, closed the funding gap between schools, made investments to pay our teachers more, and helped build up our school buildings.

We can?t stop there. We must keep expanding opportunities, breaking down barriers to success and lowering costs. Our legislators should deliver the Michigan Guarantee and make our state the first in the nation to offer access to free pre-K and community college for all.

If you agree and want to make the Michigan Guarantee a reality, I encourage you to make your voice heard. Share your story of how the Michigan Guarantee would help you and your family with my office and with your state representatives and senators to get the Michigan Guarantee across the finish line.

Pre-K for All

Last year, I signed a budget putting Michigan on a path toward pre-K for all.

Free pre-K saves families thousands of dollars a year and helps every child build a solid foundation for long-term academic success. Children who attend pre-K have better test scores and arrive at kindergarten better prepared to learn. And down the road, they?re better set up for success in high school, college, and the workplace.?

Pre-K isn?t just good for kids and their families. It?s good for our economy. Pre-K for all would lower costs for our families, saving parents an average of $10,000 a year. Studies have shown that every dollar invested in early learning leads to a 10% annual return on investment, driven by higher lifetime earnings and cost savings. It would also have a positive impact on students from low-income households, uplifting communities by helping close racial wealth and income gaps.

Community College for All

Let?s make the first 2 years of community college tuition-free for every high-school graduate. This transformational opportunity will save students over $4,000 a year and give them a path to a better-paying, high-skill job in a career they love.

Earlier this month, I visited the Livonia Career and Technical Center and met with the high school students there to talk about what the Michigan Guarantee would mean to them. They told me that the Michigan Guarantee would break down the financial barriers that may hold students back from going to college. We can make that a reality for these students. You can read more about my visit with the students at the tech center here.

When we invest in Michiganders, we?re investing in our future. As we bring more supply chains and advanced manufacturing plants home, we will need a qualified, talented workforce. A majority of the in-demand, high-skill jobs of the future will require some form of higher education, and together, we can ensure any Michigander who wants to get those skills can do so at little to no cost.

Every child deserves, free, high-quality pre-K so they can get the tools they need to be successful. We should help our high school students save thousands of dollars, put them on a path to success, and help our businesses get the talent they need to fill in-demand jobs. The Legislature must prioritize the Michigan Guarantee so we can make these transformational opportunities a reality for our kids.

Let?s get it done.

Sincerely,

Gretchen Whitmer

Governor