Pandemic shows us more than ever how important a college education can be

Here's what a recent report shows for Manistee County kids in education, well-being

Manistee joined several other counties in the state for some concerning trends like the the percentage of students not graduating on time, and a jump in the percentage of dropouts, according to a new report released this week.

Michigan improving in child well-being, per new report

On Monday, the Annie E. Casey Foundation released the 2021 Kids Count Data Book, a 50-state report of recent household data analyzing how families have fared between the Great Recession and the last year before the COVID-19 crisis.

LMC and SMC among nine MI community colleges getting state grants for student support

Students enrolled in key state programs like the Futures for Frontliners and Michigan Reconnect effort in Michigan will gain support from their local community colleges at nine institutions across the state.

Mott Community College receives state grant to support adult students

Mott Community College in Flint is among five colleges receiving a ‘Sixty by 30 Student Success’ grant of up to $150,000. The grants are going to community colleges to improve success rates among adult students.

U-M expands free tuition program to its Dearborn, Flint campuses

Thousands more students may be able to attend college tuition-free next year, after the University of Michigan expanded its Go Blue Guarantee program to its campuses in Dearborn and Flint.

COVID won’t stop these Detroit 8th graders from going to college. Here’s why.

Detroit Achievement Academy and its authorizer, Grand Valley State University, are taking a series of steps to show how to help next year’s ninth graders get to — and through — college.

College enrollment must bounce back for economy to do the same

An op-ed by Ryan Fewins-Bliss on the pandemic enrollment crisis.

High school/college hybrid programs growing in popularity in Michigan

Schools like the Early College Alliance, often called early middle colleges, are expanding in Michigan, with good reason. Students can earn an associate’s degree or two years of college credit in a five-year high school program at no cost to them.

Ryan Fewins-Bliss | Michigan College Access Network Invests $50,000 In Student Incentives

Jeffrey Mosher speaks with MCAN Executive Director, Ryan Fewins-Bliss as Michigan College Access Network has invested $50,000 in student incentives to improve FAFSA completion rates.

Area high schools seek advisers for next year

A number of high schools are on the hunt for “near-peer” advisers. A program through AdviseMI and the Michigan College Access Network has seen Lapeer County schools, such as North Branch and Imlay City High Schools, utilize near-peer college advisers.

Ryan Fewins-Bliss | MCAN Responds To MI Blueprint For Comprehensive Student Recovery

Jeffrey Mosher speaks with MCAN Executive Director, Ryan Fewins-Bliss in response to Gov. Whitmer releasing the MI Blueprint for Comprehensive Student Recovery.

Students and schools are struggling during the pandemic. Here’s what’s in Whitmer’s recovery plan.

Many Michigan students are struggling with academic performance and social and emotional health, teachers are suffering from burnout and colleges are experiencing plunging enrollment rates during the pandemic. This month, Gov. Whitmer rolled out a plan.

Back to school: Michigan free college tuition program attracts 70,000

Over 70,000 Michigan residents have applied for Michigan Reconnect to attend community college tuition-free, granting thousands a chance to head back to the classroom or enhance their skills without burning a hole in their wallet.

Innovations in college aid: The FAFSA maze now includes drive-thru

From drive-thru services and virtual guidance to incentives like the Dash for Cash program, college advisers and college access groups are finding new ways to encourage FAFSA completion across the country.

Free College Offer Lures Thousands

State officials in Michigan expected a big response when they launched a free college program for adults earlier this year. They got lots of takers, all right -- 67,000 and counting.

Opinion | Michigan needs more college grads. Step one: completing the FAFSA

Students who skip college because they don’t think they can afford it – most often students of color, low-income students, and/or would-be first-generation college students – undercut their own economic opportunities.

As COVID spread, far fewer Michigan high school grads enrolled in college

Less than 55 percent of 2020 Michigan high school graduates enrolled in college within six months of getting diplomas, a plummet of 5 percentage points in one year, according to data from the Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information.