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New collaboration aimed at further researching Michigan education spending

New research backed by a W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant will fill in the gaps of the recent Michigan Education Finance Study and help lawmakers make overdue, data-driven improvements to how Michigan funds public education, according to a nonpartisan collaborative of educators, academics and civic leaders.

The results of the supplemental research will be released next year by the collaborative, which includes members from all over state, including The Education Trust-Midwest. The collaborative will work to disseminate the findings of the both the Education Finance study and additional research, increase public understanding of the need for improvements to how the state funds public education, and will work with lawmakers on data-driven reforms.

“We can’t have a strong Michigan without creating a strong educational foundation for all children, including children of color and children who grow up in poverty,” said Amber Arellano, executive director of The Education Trust-Midwest. “They deserve the same chance as other children, and when they succeed we all succeed. Helping all children achieve and flourish is the best path forward for the state.”

Improving America’s College Attainment Means Tackling More Than Affordability

According to a new report from The Education Trust, moving the needle on college attainment will require more than addressing affordability alone. It will also require serious attention to raising completion rates, especially among America’s “New Majority” — students of color and those from low-income families.

The need for action is clear. The United States, long number one in the world in the percentage of young adults with a college degree, has fallen to 11th among industrialized nations. Among first-time, full-time freshmen at four-year institutions, just 63 percent finish in six years. Among students of color, completion rates are even worse: Only 54 percent of Latino students graduate in six years, followed by African American and Native students at 41 percent. In two-year colleges, success rates are even lower.

America’s college attainment problem has many roots. In this report, Ed Trust offers a framework focused on incentives up and down the line – from students and schools to colleges and states, to help policymakers and advocates ask critical questions and leverage investments to prioritize improved student outcomes.

The full report is available here. 

Noteworthy News

Capital Update

State Board of Education meets on Tuesday, October 11, beginning at 9:30am, in the Ladislaus B. Dombrowski Board Room on the 4th Floor of the John A. Hannah Building in Lansing. The meeting agenda will be available here and the meeting will stream live at MI Streamnet.

Legislature in recess. The Michigan Legislature is now in recess. The House will return on October 19 and the Senate will return October 18-20.

Spotlight: Equity & Accountability: How the CORE Districts Address Closing Gaps for Students of Color & Low-Income Students.

Join The Education Trust-West, California’s CORE Districts and a panel of civil rights, education and equity experts, to explore issues of accountability, equity and closing opportunity and achievement gaps.

Tuesday, October 11 – 2:00-3:15pm EST.

For more information and to register, click here.

Tweet of the Week

https://twitter.com/CollegeUnbound/status/782329362574110721