Child care in Michigan

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wants to raise landfill fees to fund environmental cleanups and provide rebates for electric vehicles. Fellow Democrats are having second thoughts in the Legislature.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s goal to make preschool free and available to all families is a big task. The biggest hurdles for the state to overcome are shortages of qualified staff and too few affordable, quality child care spots for 4-year-olds.

In her sixth State of the State speech, Whitmer outlined 10 goals. Most are more modest than in years past, reflecting the reality of an election year and temporarily split House of Representatives.

The Democratic governor gave her sixth State of the State address on Wednesday. It was included about 10 goals, lots of references to 1980s rock anthems and praise for the Detroit Lions. Read the speech.

As Gov. Gretchen Whitmer prepares her 2024 State of the State address, did she accomplish her 2023 goals? Bridge Michigan analyzes the success of her priorities over the last year.

Childhood vaccination rates in Michigan are at their lowest since 2011 and remain slightly lower than national rates.

Some worker shortages hurt more than others, and state leaders are rushing to try to make it easier to fill vacancies from paramedics to special ed teachers.

New law mandates for filtered water bottle filling stations or faucets in all schools and daycare centers by 2026.

Federal pandemic funds helped child care providers raise salaries, buy new supplies and pay bills. They also boosted payments to childcare providers so parents could go to work. The funding ends Saturday.

The U.S. government is teetering on the brink of a federal shutdown that would pause or delay many government services.

The state ranks above national averages in several key areas that indicate success for young children, but still falls short in some, according to newly compiled data.

With an estimated 9,000 openings around the state, childcare providers are struggling to serve families desperate for care.

The number of children attending school in buildings with vaccination rates less than 90 percent has doubled since 2015. Check out the rate of elementary schools statewide.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed a new state education budget that expands Pre-K access, boosts per-pupil funding and invests in training new teachers. More education policy changes are coming too.

The aim is to improve educational outcomes from early childhood through after-school and postsecondary programs, with the goal of every Michigan student earning a skill certificate or degree after high school.

Research on Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) shows that kids who have a high-quality preschool experience show significant positive developmental differences as compared to children who do not attend a high-quality preschool program. They also have a greater likelihood of success in many areas throughout life, research shows.

Democrats say change would benefit working-class candidates. Republicans question ‘carve out’ for politicians.

Child care providers who attended Monday’s rally in Detroit say they don’t receive enough funding to pay their staff and themselves adequate salaries.

State Superintendent Michael Rice urges the Michigan Legislature to quickly fund a full-time state preschool program, more tutors, free lunches and improve school buildings.

A classroom at half capacity in Detroit would have lost $74,000 in funding this year. So the provider shut it down.