As we celebrate many wins this week, I am excited to highlight what we are doing for our students in Michigan. From funding to keep our students fed and focused to investments expanding affordable child care, we are working together to ensure that young Michiganders are set up for success while lowering costs and growing our economy.
There is still work to be done but I am proud that we are moving forward. Let’s keep building a brighter future for Michigan.
It’s hard for kids to learn on an empty stomach. Every student should be able to start their day with a nutritious meal so they can stay energized throughout the day and focus on class. That’s why I proclaimed this week, March 6-10, as School Breakfast Week in Michigan. Research shows that children who eat breakfast are more likely to reach higher levels of achievement in reading and mathematics, perform better on assessments, have increased memory and concentration, and maintain a healthy weight.
From cooking and serving meals to giving countless reminders to eat your veggies, I want to highlight the work of school cafeteria aides, who are integral to our children’s success in school. This School Breakfast Week, I’m grateful to dedicated school cafeteria aides who keep our kids well-fed.
Let’s work together to deliver on my budget proposal to offer all 1.4 million public school students in Michigan free breakfast and lunch, saving families over $850 a year and helping them succeed in class.
This week, I joined educators and administrators from Gibraltar Schools to discuss the MI Kids Back on Track plan. This plan proposes expanding tutoring and other personalized learning support to help students across the state. Last month, I proposed my fifth budget making record investments in education including in-class resources, mental health, campus safety, school infrastructure, and tutoring.
Our kids need extra support to catch up and get back on track to succeed. We heard about the need for personalized learning support from parents directly during meetings of the Michigan Parents Council that I established. 13,000 parents from across the state shared their priorities and I look forward to delivering on them.
That’s why I proposed MI Kids Back on Track, a plan to offer personalized learning support. This support takes many forms—tutoring, after-school programs, and more—but it is all focused on providing kids 1-on-1 time with a caring, qualified adult that meets their needs.
So many schools across Michigan already offer personalized support and it makes a real difference for students, families, and teachers. Let’s make sure that all students get that support, and that we save families money on tutoring and after-school programs and improve outcomes in the classroom, ultimately leading to better graduation and higher education attainment rates.
This week, Lieutenant Governor Garlin Gilchrist joined the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) for a tour of the Early Learning Center in Grand Rapids. He highlighted our work to secure $2 million in federal funding to expand affordable and quality child care through ECIC’s Child Care Innovation Fund. Today, I’m proud to announce that 16 organizations serving Michiganders in 81 counties are receiving that federal funding, helping them expand child care options, serving more families, and lowering costs for parents.
This investment in Michigan’s child care accelerator will help talented entrepreneurs innovate and pilot new ways to expand access to quality, affordable child care in their communities. We are committed to building on our bipartisan progress on child care, and I look forward to working alongside our partners to lower the cost of child care for working families.
To date, the Child Care Innovation Fund has already issued 16 innovation awards and served 33 counties and tribes across the state. Entrepreneurs interested in applying to the Child Care Innovation Fund should visit www.ecic4kids.org/child-care-innovation-fund to sign up for updates.
Child care is the backbone of our economy. Access to quality, affordable child care supports parents as they work, ensures kids have the support they need to grow into their best selves, and helps businesses hire, recruit, and retain talent. Together, we will build on our vision to ensure every family has access to child care that meets their needs.
Yesterday, I joined the Michigan Lottery to announce their $1.25 billion contribution to the School Aid Fund in fiscal year 2022. This marks the Lottery’s fourth consecutive contribution of more than $1 billion to Michigan’s schools.
The Michigan Lottery’s contributions to our schools over the last 50 years have helped students across the state succeed. Lottery games provide Michiganders with a chance to win life-changing prizes and their purchases support local businesses and public education programs in their communities.
Since 1972, the Lottery has contributed more than $27 billion to the School Aid Fund, supporting public education programs throughout Michigan. The School Aid Fund provides funding for public education, including per-pupil funding, special education, at-risk programs, early childhood education, adult education, school lunch and breakfast, career and technical education, and more.
I want to congratulate the Lottery team on their fourth consecutive contribution of more than $1 billion to schools across the state. These funds help us continue making historic investment in public education and give every student the tools they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
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