Detroit Evening Report: Gov. Whitmer launches new education-focused department MiLEAP
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Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has launched a new education program that promotes pre-kindergarten access and higher education in Michigan.
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Whitmer announced the new Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Achievement and Potential (MiLEAP). The new department will govern early childhood education, higher education and education partnerships.
This is part of the governor’s agenda to ensure all young children in the state entering kindergarten have the tools they need to succeed and help more people earn a certification or degree.
“Every Michigander deserves a path to ‘make it in Michigan’ with strong, lifelong learning support,” Whitmer said in a statement. “For too long, we have thought of education as K-12, but we know that’s not good enough. I’m establishing MiLEAP today because we need to get every kid started early, in pre-K, so they succeed in kindergarten, have paths after graduation to get higher education tuition-free, and forge strong partnerships with our employers so they can get a good-paying, high-skill, and in-demand job. MiLEAP will help our learning ecosystem take the jump to the next level as we grow our economy and build a brighter future for Michigan.”
The move is a departure for the state government as the Michigan Department of Education normally leads education-related programs and initiatives.
The education department will continue to oversee K-12 education, but programs that were under their purveyor such as the Great Start Readiness will now be overseen by MiLEAP.
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