Federal SNAP and Medicaid Changes Threaten Michigan’s Talent and Equity Goals
December 3, 2025
Since 1988, the Detroit Regional Chamber has established itself as a prominent leader in education and talent development across the Detroit Region. A significant milestone in its history was the creation of the Sixty by 30 goal in 2016, which set an objective for 60% of residents in the Region to achieve post-high school educational attainment by 2030, and to reduce the racial equity attainment gap in half in the same time period. The State of Michigan has since adopted this goal.
Achieving the Sixty by 30 goal depends on several factors. Among these, ensuring that students have stable access to food, health care, and education is a central priority. The stability provided by these supports is vital for students to succeed academically and professionally.
Recent federal changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Medicaid benefits, as outlined by The Institute for College Access and Success, threaten the stability that students and residents rely on. These changes heighten the risk of diminished access to fundamental resources, potentially impeding progress toward the Sixty by 30 goal.
To maintain momentum toward achieving the goal, it is critical to prioritize access to SNAP and Medicaid for Michigan residents. Read below to learn what’s changing and what support the Chamber provides for students impacted.
What’s Changing
SNAP
- Work requirement age increases to 64 years old
- Parents with children over 10 years old lose their exemption
- Michigan will absorb significantly more administrative and benefit costs beginning FY27–28
Medicaid
- Starting January 2028, adults aged 19–64 years old must meet 80 hours per month of work, education, or service to stay covered
- Missing monthly reporting can lead to loss of coverage
Why These Changes Matter for Michigan’s Economic Prosperity
Losing SNAP or Medicaid Creates Immediate Barriers to Entering or Staying in College
When students lose access to food assistance or health coverage, they face heightened financial instability, increased stress, and additional caregiving challenges. Research shows that students experiencing basic-needs insecurity are significantly less likely to enroll, persist, or complete a credential.
When federal policy removes the very benefits that allow students to meet basic needs, it directly reduces the number of Michiganders able to enter the talent pipeline while concurrently pushing current students out.
Adult Learners Are Essential to Reaching 60% Attainment. These Policies Will Hit Them Hardest.
The Chamber’s 2025 State of Education and Talent report highlights that adult “returners” represent a critical pathway to closing Michigan’s credential gap. Many adult learners already balance school with work, caregiving, or part-time employment. Mandating 80 hours per month of work, or tying benefit eligibility to complex reporting requirements, creates new obstacles for adults trying to return to or continue college.
For adults who are working part-time, enrolled less than full-time, or navigating unstable employment, these requirements increase the likelihood of:
- Losing health insurance
- Losing food assistance
- Reducing time available for coursework
- Stopping out before completing a credential
Michigan cannot reach its talent goals if adult learners, one of the most important sources of future talent, are forced to choose between meeting basic needs and pursuing education.
These Changes Will Widen Michigan’s 18 Percentage Point Racial Equity Attainment Gap
The 2025 State of Education and Talent data confirms that educational attainment gaps remain stark. Black and Brown learners in Michigan experience an 18-percentage point lower attainment rate compared to white residents.
Because Black and Brown households are disproportionately represented among SNAP and Medicaid beneficiaries, these changes will:
- Increase basic-needs insecurity
- Reduce enrollment and persistence
- Widen economic and educational disparities
Michigan cannot reduce the racial equity attainment gap while removing the supports that allow students of color to access and complete post-high school programs.
The Chamber’s Efforts
Through its Detroit Drives Degrees initiative, the Chamber is committed to fostering a strong and equitable talent pipeline. These federal changes jeopardize both attainment and equity, making it harder for Michiganders to access the education and training that drive economic mobility.
In partnership with the Detroit Regional Talent Compact signers, the Chamber is leading work to remove barriers and increase access to education. Initiatives such as the debt-forgiveness collaborative allow students to return to college if they owe a prior balance. At the same time, the Credit Mobility Coalition focuses on increasing credit recognition for work experience and simplifying the credit application process for students.
Student and family success hinges on comprehensive support, both academically and beyond. Changing eligibility requirements may compel students to choose between meeting immediate needs and securing their long-term futures.
The Chamber will continue to inform and collaborate with partners and reinforce support systems, enabling students to learn, work, and thrive. Michigan cannot reach the Sixty by 30 goal if students lose access to the basic supports that make education possible.