Northwest Education Services is proud to announce that it has been awarded a 107-A Innovation Grant as part of more than $8.7 million in state funding distributed by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO). The grant will fund innovative initiatives aimed at supporting adults without a high school diploma or equivalency and English language learners, helping them achieve academic and career success.

With this grant, Northwest Education Services will partner with Northwest Michigan Works! to create a new initiative called BEST (Building Education for a Stronger Tomorrow). This two-year grant will support the development and implementation of new strategies to increase enrollment, improve retention, and enhance program completion rates. The adult education program provides services through the Northwest Michigan Works! learning labs and serves the 10 counties of Northwest Michigan.
Through the BEST program, Northwest Education Services will introduce four key innovations:

1. Support students with special education needs to ensure access to learning.
2. Implement ConnectAble, a program to increase student access to educational information and software.
3. Expand instructor availability to provide personalized support and flexible learning opportunities.
4. Develop postsecondary pathways to help adult learners transition to higher education, job training, and meaningful employment.