The Detroit Regional Chamber has been a vocal and visible champion for education initiatives that will grow the talent pipeline for the state’s employers. Most recently, Chamber President and Chief Executive Officer Sandy K. Baruah penned an op-ed in The Detroit News advocating for a K – 12 + 2 approach to education in Michigan.
In the piece he states, “Establishing a higher education culture will not be easy and will take more than one thing. Certainly, the quality of our existing K-12 system must be improved dramatically, and colleges must control their costs and ensure better success rates. But, establishing a “K – 12 + 2” approach can play a significant role in advancing this much-needed culture shift.”
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Today, the State of Michigan celebrated a meaningful step toward making this education approach a reality. The 2025 fiscal year budget passed at the end of last month included several wins for the business community across economic development and education. Among them was a $30 million increase in the Michigan Achievement Scholarship and the Michigan Guarantee, which the Governor’s office highlighted today in a press release. These programs reflect the Chamber’s priority to increase access to and completion of postsecondary education and establish a statewide culture of education.
The Michigan Guarantee will provide the opportunity for every high school graduate to earn an associate degree or skills certificate from any in-district community college tuition-free, which according to the State can save more than 18,000 students up to $4,800 per year.
As the State touts, the program will help more students complete postsecondary education, moving the needle toward achieving 60% postsecondary educational attainment by 2030, a goal that originated at the Chamber and was later adopted by this administration.
This latest investment and inclusion in the state budget further validate the Chamber’s leadership role in education and talent advocacy to ensure Michigan’s economic prosperity, competitiveness, and long-term success.
The Chamber has a decades-long history of supporting a healthy education and talent ecosystem in the state, operating Michigan’s most robust portfolio of education and talent initiatives including Detroit Drives Degrees, the Detroit Promise, Detroit Reconnect, and the Detroit Drives Degrees Community College Collaborative.
The Chamber will continue to advocate for sustainable, strategic investment in Michigan’s education and workforce development systems on behalf of the business community.