- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a $23.4 Billion education bill that includes funding for free programs
- The bill includes funding for free college and lunch programs for 1 million Michigan students
- Video shows Whitmer signing the bill and the reaction from the governor along with a lawmaker and education spokesperson
Families are going to see some new changes this fall when their kids go back to school.
On Tuesday, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed off on a $23.4 billion education budget that expands Pre-K programs for low-income families.
Four-year-olds will be able to enroll for free but only if they live in households that are 400% above and below the poverty line.
"Kids who go to Pre-K have better reading and math scores, are more likely to graduate, more likely to go to college, have a lifelong upward trajectory for their health and wealth over their lifetime," Whitmer said.
The bill also invests $200 million to continue funding a free lunch program that will impact more than one million Michigan students.
Thomas Morgan, spokesperson for the Michigan Education Association, says the move will provide relief for financially struggling families.
WATCH: CLOSING THE EDUCATION GAP FOR CHILDREN IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS
"[It] not only helps students academically, it also helps the entire family. It helps the family budget," Morgan said.
The bill also came with a $300 million cut to programs involving mental health and school safety. Lawmakers also voted to allocate $498 million from the Michigan Public Schools Employees Retirement System (MPSERS) to school districts across the state.
Rep. Sarah Lightner (R-MI 45th District) said these were two fundamental reasons why she couldn't support the bill.
"It's going to put their retirement in jeopardy," Lightner said. "It really didn't free up that many dollars with the additional cuts in the school aid budget. It doesn't really put schools ahead at all."
The bill will also allow recent high school grads to go to a community college in their district for two years for free. It's why Morgan believes the state is on the right track in preparing for the future.
"That's why it's so critical that we all work together regardless of politics, regardless of where we stand to come together for the sake of our kids," Morgan said.
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