In 2005, the Cherry Commission report set an agenda for Michigan higher education attainment. In 2014, after a 10-year hiatus, stakeholders in Michigan’s decentralized higher education policy community voluntarily rejoined with the Governor, Key Cabinet Agencies, and the Michigan Department of Education to take stock of progress and lay out a blueprint for continued action. The Postsecondary Credential Attainment Workgroup released its 2015 report Reaching for Opportunity, and went to work to implement the report’s recommendations. In recent years, the Workgroup has continued its collaboration under the sponsorship of the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) as the Michigan Higher Education Attainment Roundtable (MIHEART).
One of the goals of the group is to continue to drive attention and action to this vital talent attainment agenda. To periodically take stock of progress, consider how best to advance current efforts, as well as new work—all dedicated to helping Michigan realize a goal of 60% of its people earning valuable postsecondary education credentials by 2025, and make Michigan a talent leader.
This report lays out the progress and accomplishments to date, reflects on Michigan’s Talent Attainment performance, looks ahead and offers a call to action and a “total talent” state agenda for ensuring all our citizens get the education and skills to succeed in the economy of today and tomorrow.
After a 10-year hiatus since 2005’s Cherry Commission report set an agenda for Michigan higher education attainment, stakeholders in Michigan’s decentralized higher education policy community voluntarily rejoined in 2014 with the Governor, Key Cabinet Agencies, and Michigan Department of Education to take stock of progress and lay out a blueprint for continued action. The Postsecondary Credential Attainment Work group released its 2015 report Reaching for Opportunity, and went to work to implement the report’s recommendations. The group in recent years continued its collaboration under the sponsorship of the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN) as the Michigan Higher Education Attainment Roundtable (MIHEART).
Today the group continues to work together as an ongoing collaborative to promote, advocate for, and guide policy changes that will improve our state’s postsecondary education and credential attainment levels – and to keep at this work from Administration to Administration.
One of the goals of the group is to continue to drive attention and action to this vital higher education attainment agenda, and periodically take stock of progress, consider how best to advance current efforts, as well as take on new work—all dedicated to helping Michigan realize a goal of 60% of its people earning valuable postsecondary education credentials by 2025.
The release of the Total Talent Report provides a fresh call to action and a set of state policy priorities and stakeholder initiatives to make Michigan a talent leader.
MIHEART’s membership includes the key institutions and stakeholders committed to work together on an ongoing basis in to increase attainment of postsecondary credentials of workforce value. The collaborative includes:
- Business Leaders for Michigan (BLM)
- Council for a Strong America
- Michigan Association of School Administrators (MASA)
- Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP)
- Michigan Association of State Universities
- Michigan College Access Network (MCAN)
- Michigan Community College Association (MCCA)
- Michigan Center for Student Success (MCSS)
- Michigan Department of Education (MDE)
- Michigan Department of Talent and Economic Development
- Michigan Independent Colleges & Universities
- Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce
- Office of the Governor
- Talent 2025
- The Kresge Foundation
