skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, November 11, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump talked to Putin, told Russian leader not to escalate in Ukraine; AZ passes abortion measure, advocates still concerned about a Trump presidency; Environmental advocates sue Montana over public documents; Los Angeles tackles hunger with new Office of Food Equity.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

A former Harris aide calls for Biden to resign so Harris can briefly take the presidency. Trump wins Arizona, but so does Democrat Ruben Gallego. And AI experts warn that recent election fraud videos were Russian deep fakes.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Texas women travel some of the longest distances for abortion care, Californians the shortest, rural living comes with mixed blessings for veterans, an ancient technique could curtail climate-change wildfires, and escape divisive politics on World Kindness Day.

Michigan Doubles Down on Free Community College

play audio
Play

Wednesday, August 9, 2023   

Building on the success of a $140 million investment, Michigan is making community college free to hundreds of thousands more students by expanding the Michigan Reconnect program.

The state is trying to address a shortage of qualified workers, by providing classes to people who otherwise cannot afford them. Michigan Reconnect offers tuition-free community college to adults with no postsecondary education.

The state has invested another $70 million, and dropped the age to qualify from 25 to 21, which could help another 350,000 people.

Jon Calderwood, executive director of enrollment management at Mott Community College in Flint, said it will ultimately make Michigan more competitive in key employment areas.

"Especially things like as we're trying to become competitive for artificial intelligence, electronic vehicle manufacturing, things like that," Calderwood outlined. "This is going to definitely help the state in creating that skilled workforce. So, kind of improve a standard of living."

Michigan Reconnect has helped more than 123,000 students attend college since its inception in 2021. Calderwood called it a game changer by creating a tuition-free pathway to an associate degree at any one of Michigan's 31 community and tribal colleges.

The state's Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity reports about 27,000 people have enrolled in college, and at least 2,800 have earned a degree or certificate since Michigan Reconnect's inception.

Calderwood predicted the additional funding will be just as successful, because it removes the biggest obstacle for many who want to attend college but cannot afford to.

"It's going to take away that hurdle," Calderwood pointed out. "It's going to take away probably some of the top fears we've run into over the years of 'how do I pay for school?' So, this program, by removing that, the goal is to increase that pipeline and take away that burden."

Michigan joins a handful of other states offering free community college to help train more workers as the cost of traditional four-year universities continues to skyrocket.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The Santana Family of Shrewsbury adopted their then 19-year-old daughter Marisol last year after she spent about 15 years in the foster care system. Marisol calls her adoption a "dream come true." (Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption)

Social Issues

play sound

Advocates for foster children in Massachusetts are encouraging people to open their homes and hearts to adoption. More than 8,000 children in the …


Environment

play sound

Scientists are sounding the alarm about growing dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and beyond. Dead zones are areas of water with hypoxia, or …

Environment

play sound

Native grasslands are the most threatened ecosystem in North America. A South Dakota advocacy group hopes its educational campaign will reach a …


President-elect Donald Trump's plan for mass deportation of immigrants means the U.S. loses out on $22.6 billion and $5.7 billion in Social Security and Medicare contributions, respectively. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

As the dust settles from the 2024 election, immigrant New Yorkers fear how Donald Trump's second term will impact them. Many still recall the …

Social Issues

play sound

A proposition on the ballot to change the way voting works in Idaho failed in last week's election. Proposition One would have opened up primaries …

School districts in 29 states banned books during the 2023-2024 school year, according to the latest PEN America report. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Book bans are on the rise in Maryland, according to a new report from PEN America. The nonprofit that tracks issues of free expression says …

Social Issues

play sound

A champion of rights for older LGBTQ+ people has received recognition for her volunteer work in Oregon. Liz James is the winner of the AARP Andrus …

Social Issues

play sound

President Joe Biden's recent apology on behalf of the federal government for harms done to generations of Native American children and their families …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021