PODCAST:
Feb. 11, 2026 ~ Pamela Good, co‑founder & CEO of Beyond Basics, joins Ryan Ermanni as Gov. Whitmer puts literacy front and center in her new budget proposal. We break down what this means for Michigan students, why literacy is becoming a statewide priority, and how community leaders are pushing for real change.
DETROIT, MICH. ~ In Gov. Whitmer’s final year as the political leader of Michigan, she is putting literacy at the top of her list of areas that need improvement. Whitmer unveiled her state budget plan for 2027 Wednesday afternoon, which includes $21.4 billion in school aid, according to a press release addressing her final recommendation.
“I don’t think people realize that when it comes to reading, we’re at the bottom,” Pamela Good, co‑founder & CEO of Beyond Basics, said on ‘JR Afternoon. “And I know there’s a ranking of education, and we’re 44th. This literacy piece really is the first step. You can’t measure the quality of the teachers and the educational system until you send literate children into the classroom.”
