News Articles
News Articles
Higher Education Innovation
Michigan expands college aid, tuition-free programs in new education budget
July 22, 2026
MLive
Thousands more Michigan students could qualify for a tuition boost to college under the latest state education budget signed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday. While most of the $22.9 billion package addresses State School Aid for K-12 education, Michigan lawmakers have allocated $2.2 billion to university and community college operations — in part extolling the state’s goal to have 60% of working adults with a degree or skills certificate by 2030.
Higher Education Innovation
Whitmer signs state budget, education funding and housing bills into law
July 22, 2026
Michigan Advance
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed her eighth and final education budget into law Tuesday at an event in Southfield, celebrating wins in continuing to fund free school meals, free pre-K, free community colleges and what Whitmer’s office called a “historic investment in student literacy.”
Higher Education Innovation
Whitmer signs education budget: What to know about college affordability
July 21, 2026
Bridge Michigan
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed her final, $22.9 billion education budget Tuesday — a plan that not only continues the state’s efforts to improve literacy but also throws more money into the push to boost college enrollment. Whitmer has set a goal that by 2030, 60% of working age adults in Michigan will have a skills certificate or college degree, up from the current 51.6%.
Higher Education Innovation
What does the federal "Do No Harm" provision mean for Michigan students?
July 17, 2026
CBS News
On July 1, the U.S. Department of Education began rolling out an accountability test that aims to hold colleges accountable for the earnings outcomes of their graduates.
High School Innovation
Tuition rising at Michigan’s public universities as budgets tighten
July 10, 2026
Michigan Public
Michigan’s public universities are raising tuition price this fall as they grapple with rising costs and years of flat or uncertain state funding. All 10 of the state’s largest public four-year universities have approved increases for the coming school year, but many say they are expanding financial aid to soften the impact for students.
High School Innovation
Michigan public university tuition on the rise due to fading investment from state
July 10, 2026
CBS News
According to the Michigan Association of State Universities, state funding used to account for 70% of the operating budget for public universities in Michigan. That was 45 years ago. Today, that number is only 22%.
Community Mobilization
New initiative to help Kent County students reach vital milestone awarded Steelcase grant
July 10, 2026
MLive
Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) received a two-year, $160,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation to launch the Kent County Attainment Accelerator. The place-based initiative is aimed at strengthening postsecondary access and success efforts already underway across Kent County.
Higher Education Innovation
Universities, colleges pan ‘one-time’ 1% operational increases
July 9, 2026
Gongwer
Organizations representing the state’s public universities and community colleges were disappointed in the 1% operational increases the higher education institutions received in the 2026-27 fiscal year budget passed last week.
High School Innovation
As scores dip, Michigan law takes effect dropping essay from standardized test
July 8, 2026
Bridge Michigan
Incoming 11th graders no longer have to take the essay portion of the SAT, which advocates say will ease nerves, eliminate unnecessary testing and provide more instruction time.
Higher Education Innovation
New student loan rules take effect, changing payments and borrowing limits
July 7, 2026
WXYZ Detroit
New rules involving student loans took effect this month, changing borrowers' monthly payments and how much students can borrow in the future. The sweeping changes are part of President Donald Trump's "One Big Beautiful Bill" and are expected to impact millions of Americans. Student debt in the U.S. has reached nearly $1.7 trillion.
All Areas of Work
Education groups, lawmakers split on budget for upcoming year
July 3, 2026
WLNS
“Looking at how far apart the proposals were, MCAN applauds the Legislature, the governor’s office and their staff members for coming together to create a bipartisan budget that includes forward-thinking investments in our students,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, executive director of MCAN.
Higher Education Innovation
Federal student loans change July 1, experts feel Michigan better off than most
June 30, 2026
News Channel 3
A big change set in motion by Congress last year is taking effect July 1, and the landscape for those looking to get into college with financial aid and those students already paying for that aid will change.
All Areas of Work
COMMENTARY: When college access grows, Michigan communities reap the benefits
June 29, 2026
Midland Daily News
This is about more than individual economic mobility; the impact of higher education goes far beyond one person’s return on investment. A more educated workforce means better jobs, which in turn leads to stronger communities, better health outcomes, more civic engagement, and less reliance on public assistance.
All Areas of Work
Opinion | Next Michigan governor has once-in-a-generation opportunity. Will they take it?
June 25, 2026
Bridge Michigan
Michigan has made great strides in improving college affordability, but the system is still confusing and intimidating for too many students, especially first-generation college-going students, low-income students and those who don’t have experienced adults to guide them through the process. This means jobs we rely on go unfilled, because students don’t see the pathway to a nursing certificate, a trade apprenticeship, an associate degree or other degrees that give them the skills to thrive in the modern workforce.
Community Mobilization
Advertising, training fairs, free tuition: How Michigan is trying to get more men into college
June 23, 2026
Michigan Advance
About 35 percent more Michigan women than men earn a degree or certificate, according to 2024-25 state data. Nationally, more than 1.9 million women completed a credential, such as a degree or certificate, during the 2024-25 school year, compared with 1.4 million men, according to the National Student Clearinghouse.
All Areas of Work
Speaker says Whitmer overseas trade trip slows budget talks
June 17, 2026
Michigan Public
"Delays create uncertainty for the programs and partnerships that help students plan for their futures, whether through dual enrollment, college access initiatives, workforce training, or financial aid,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, executive director of Michigan College Access Network. “With state budget uncertainty comes institutional uncertainty followed by family uncertainty; fewer students enroll in college when this uncertainty persists."
Higher Education Innovation
Music, theatre among degree programs in Michigan that could lose federal loan access under new rule
June 12, 2026
Michigan Public Radio
A nearly-final federal student loan rule could prevent students from getting access to federal loans in certain college programs. Under the rule, undergraduate programs lose Federal Direct Loan access if they fail an "earnings test" — meaning their graduates, four years after graduation, make less than those with just a high school diploma in the same state on average.
Higher Education Innovation
Proposed federal rule threatens student loan access for Michigan cosmetology schools
June 10, 2026
Michigan Public Radio
“Functionally, they're trying to make sure that the degree that you're paying for and they're using student loans and federal and state aid to pay for it is actually valuable to you in the long run,” said Ryan Fewins-Bliss, the executive director of the Michigan College Access Network.