Cherry Commission: All students need to continue their education beyond high school
Lt. Gov. John Cherry: $1 million is the difference in earnings over a lifetime of a college grad vs. a high school grad.
The Commission on Higher Education and Economic Growth (aka the Cherry Commission), established by Gov. Jennifer Granholm and chaired by Lt. Gov. John Cherry, makes 19 major recommendations to reach the goal of doubling the number of Michigan residents who obtain college degrees or post-secondary training over the next 10 years and to create a brighter future for Michigan’s economy. MEA President Lu Battaglieri served on the Cherry Commission. We questioned the lieutenant governor about the Cherry Commission recommendations. The Cherry Commission report includes 19 major recommendations.
The Cherry Commission report includes 19 major recommendations. While recognizing the importance of each, which one do you think is absolutely necessary for Michigan to keep its competitive edge?
I would say it’s not a specific recommendation, it’s the commission’s overarching recommendation that all students need to continue their education beyond high school. We are taking critical steps toward that goal, including a rigorous high school curriculum for all students and a new Merit Award scholarship that would guarantee $4,000 to any child who successfully completes two years at a community college, university or technical school. This will give all students the opportunity to attend college.
Has sufficient progress been made over the past year to achieve the recommendations of the Cherry Commission report?
The Cherry Commission delivered our recommendations last December. Since then, we have made significant progress toward our goal of doubling the number of citizens who attain post-secondary degrees and credentials. Consider the following:
- Post-secondary education enrollments are up significantly in Michigan.
- The governor recently signed legislation to generate $2 billion in investments to diversify our economy and create tens of thousands of new jobs in cutting edgetechnologies including life sciences, advanced manufacturing, alternative energy and homeland security.
- The State Board of Education and state superintendent are developing a rigorous new high school curriculum to prepare all students for post-secondary success.
- Gov. Granholm signed legislation creating a new high school assessment to measure student readiness for postsecondary education and encourage more students to go on to college.
- The governor’s “Return to Learn” campaign is spreading the message to working-age adults that our higher education institutions are their gateway to a better job and a brighter future.
Does Michigan provide adequate funding to education—from preschool through college—to ensure that its residents are the best educated in the world and prepared for a lifetime of learning?
Gov. Granholm believes increased investment in education pays dividends for both Michigan’s economy and our quality of life when we link higher spending to both higher expectations for our schools and cost-cutting measures that maximize classroom spending.
Maintaining the appropriate level of investment in education is a challenge in a struggling economy. We are, however, taking the right steps. In this year’s budget, funding for our public schools is at a record level thanks to a $175 increase in per pupil spending. Funding for our colleges and universities also increased this year.
What is education’s role in Michigan’s transition from a manufacturingdependent economy to a knowledgebased economy? Education is the single most important element in helping Michigan meet the challenges of a global economy.
The stateswith the highest education levels also have the most robust economies. That is not a coincidence. We must ensure that our education system, from kindergarten through college, is meeting the needs of our students to prepare them for those new jobs. What would you say to a student who doesn’t believe that post-secondary education is important? $1 million.
That’s what a student is walking away from when they choose to leave school at their high school graduation. $1 million is the difference in earnings over the lifetime of a college grad and a high school grad. Regardless of which choice they make, we must help all students understand how critically important it is to receive education and training beyond high school.