GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As she prepares to unveil her annual state budget proposal for Michigan this week, Governor Gretchen Whitmer traveled to Burton Elementary School in Grand Rapids on Monday to spotlight a push to fund statewide, universal pre-K.
"Getting this done helps us give all of our kids a real shot at a great life — regardless of where they come from, how much money's in the household budget, etc.," Whitmer said. "This is the kind of thing that can make a real difference."
Flanked by legislative allies, school staff and students, Whitmer made a case for the program that would be an expansion of the state's Great Start Readiness Program that already provides state-funded pre-K to 4-year-olds meeting certain criteria.
It was a call that resonated with some on the ground at Burton Elementary, including educators.
"This is an equitable moment to make sure that all of our children have access to a viable, rigorous, relevant education," Grand Rapids Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Leadriane Roby said. "And this is what this work is about."
It's a plan the governor said would have the potential to save families $10,000 per year on average, and one she called for in her State of the State address last month.
But as this plan and others proposed this year by the governor would be funded with state dollars, some lawmakers expressed skepticism after that January address over some plans she put forward that they feared may inflate state spending.
"You know, I think every speech that talks about the state of the performance, the state of the state, is about positiveness and to talk about things that are free," State Sen. Mark Huizenga (R-Walker) said just after Whitmer delivered her State of the State. "Those are all great things to talk about because they sell. They sell to the general public. There's a reality check of who's going to pay for that."
While Whitmer didn't list a specific cost for her universal pre-K proposal when asked on Monday, she asserted that Michigan was in a good financial spot to take on the plan.
"Because we're seeing growth in our economy, we've got the ability to make this kind of an investment," Whitmer said. "And this is the thing that businesses and parents alike are telling us, 'We want to make sure we've got an educated workforce.' And it starts with our youngest kids, And that's why we wanted to highlight this today."
Full details and costs for the proposed plan are expected to be unveiled Wednesday when Whitmer will lay out her full annual budget proposal.
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