Sixty by 30 Program Administration

Early on, the Office of Sixty by 30 noted that engaging employers in this program expansion could have a multitude of benefits: both short-term (increasing Age Expansion applications) and long-term (building strong partnerships with our office). It was clear that Michigan Works, specifically, could play a crucial partner in achieving those objectives, based on their position within local communities and broader network across the State. Through a policy issuance, Michigan Works received over $400,000 to equitably distribute across their 16 offices State-wide and fund various activities that can grow employee interest in pursuing Reconnect, such as presentations to human resources staff at local employers, development of materials on college programs specific to the employer, one-on-one consultations with employers to develop education-friendly policies, and more. We are excited to see the ripple effect that this initiative will have more broadly within our communities and workplaces.

Michigan Reconnect Targeted Outreach Policy

iling the FAFSA has always been a challenge for college-going students; we see this challenge has intensified this year due to the roll-out of the Better FAFSA Form. The Office of Sixty by 30 quickly identified that additional FAFSA support was essential for more students to complete the FAFSA and participate in the Michigan Reconnect Age Expansion program. Through a partnership with the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), MCAN has created a FAFSA Counselor Corps, called REFS (Retired Educator FAFSA Specialists), to provide one-on-one, in-person support to students to complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA. MCAN has the goal of hiring 25 FAFSA REFS across the State of Michigan to meet the needs of all students.

• Requests for a REF
• One-Pager

The non-profit awareness campaign was designed to create greater awareness of the Michigan Reconnect Age Expansion through local Michigan communities. To achieve this, the Office of Sixty by 30 awarded funds to the Michigan College Access Network (MCAN), who consequently aimed to award $10,000 subgrants to 20 organizations. Selected organizations were tasked with raising awareness of the Michigan Reconnect Age Expansion program through door-to-door advertising, printing marketing materials to share within communities, email and texting campaigns, and attendance at community functions that serve community members.

MCAN Campaign Grants Resource

This initiative focuses specifically on supporting stop-out students, age 18-24, at community colleges across the State. By providing frequent and personalized coaching services to stop out students, students can develop the skills, confidence, and behaviors to re-enroll, persist, and complete their degrees. The Office of Sixty by 30 is thrilled to partner with ReUp Education for this initiative, who has demonstrated a research-driven, comprehensive approach to supporting stop-out students in achieving their educational goals. ReUp will partner with 15 colleges in Michigan, covering all regions and size of community colleges across the State.

• ReUp’s website
• ReUp one-pager
• Overview/Informational webinar
• Data SME webinar