LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – State department leaders say Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s address laid out a vision centered on long-term education investments and tackling rising costs for Michigan families.
Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), said expanding literacy initiatives and making the department permanent are critical steps in building a cradle-to-career support system.
“I think I’m very excited that literacy, I believe that having got us the foundation, really is helpful to ensure that we are very early on making sure that we’re caring students to go into the K through 12 system,” Walker-Griffea said.
She emphasized the importance of after-school and summer programming to prevent learning loss, describing the effort as stopping the “summer drain.” Walker-Griffea said the department has seen success building what she called a statewide continuum to ensure no student “gets lost” as they move through the education system and into the workforce.
“It’s really going to be helpful for us as a department that was created, important that this becomes permanent,” she said.
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson said affordability remains the top concern she hears from residents.
“The number one thing I’m hearing around the state of Michigan is how the unaffordable cost of healthcare and the rise of healthcare premiums is making the cost of living just untenable for so many families,” Benson said.
She said the governor’s proposals to reduce medical debt and lower health care costs are important, but added that energy prices must also be addressed.
“You pay some of the highest energy bills in the nation, and it’s not enough to just be able to afford a home. You have to be able to afford to heat that home,” Benson said.
Benson said investing in clean and renewable energy, modernizing the electric grid, and holding utility companies accountable will be key to bringing costs down statewide.
Both officials framed the governor’s address as part of a broader effort to strengthen Michigan’s workforce, stabilize household budgets, and build long-term economic growth.
