Roughly one-third of children in Michigan under age 5 qualified for child care subsidies, but only 5 percent received those credits. Meanwhile, an estimated 44 percent of Michiganders live in “child care deserts” — places with a lack of licensed child care providers.
The high cost of childcare and limited state aid has shrunk the workforce. In a rare area of bipartisan consensus, Democrats and Republicans are working to boost pay and subsidies.
Reducing the costs of child care is a rare point of bipartisan agreement, and many daycares are on the brink of bankruptcy. The deal also gives big boosts to colleges, cities and environmental cleanups.
It is time we value those who touch and teach our children at arguably the most important point in their lifelong learning something consonant with their work and worth.
It is time that the state met the childcare needs of working families and the business community while promoting stronger educational outcomes for the next generation of workers.
Despite receiving this federal funds for child care support months ago, lawmakers in Lansing have barely budged on getting these dollars to Michigan families and child care providers.
The state’s economic recovery from the pandemic may be limited, officials say, as fewer child care options keep women out of the workforce. It’s a business issue, too, for child care providers seeking available workers.
A proposed $405 million infusion to the Great Start Readiness Program could come from federal COVID funds and the state’s school aid fund. It would provide free preschool to 17,000 more children from low- and moderate-income families.
In the latest sign of how bad things could get, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asks schools to set up emergency child care centers for the children of “essential workers,” from doctors to grocery stockers, needed in the pandemic fight.
Politicians have plenty to say about college costs. Yet child care expenses can have a bigger impact for many families and businesses. And Michigan has done little to help middle-and-low-income parents.
As student performance in Michigan has plummeted, one strategy where many elected officials, educators, business leaders and state residents agree is bolstering future student success through early childhood programs.
The annual Kids Count Data Book shows the state is moving in the wrong direction on too many key indicators predicting a successful future. Bright spots? Some.
