FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2025
Contact:
Laura Millard Ross
lauramr@mlpp.org
(517) 281-1084
2025 Kids Count in Michigan Data Book & Profiles provide latest insights into the well-being of Michigan’s kids
Michigan saw improvement in 11 of 19 key areas, most notably in health, while educational data and trends continued to worsen
LANSING—At a time when basic needs like health care and food are being stripped away from families and children across our state and country, today’s release of the 2025 Kids Count in Michigan Data Book & Profiles is more important than ever. These resources provide the latest evidence and insights into child well-being, which state policymakers and other state leaders can use in addressing the most pressing needs of Michigan’s youngest residents.
The Data Book & Profiles include statewide and county data and trends in four categories: economic security, education, health and safety, and family and community. Additionally, data is compiled for three cities with some of the highest child populations in the state: Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids.
This year’s findings include an analysis of trends from 2018 to the most recent year that data is available, typically 2023 or 2024. The statewide data profile shows that Michigan saw improvement in 11 of 19 key areas, most notably in health, pointing to the importance of continuing to support families in our state, especially the more than half a million Michiganders who could lose their health insurance due to the harmful federal Republican megabill that was signed into law this past July.
“Child health is an area that has been prioritized in the past, and we have seen positive outcomes as a result, including a decline in teen births, more kids with health coverage, a decline in infant mortality and increased lead testing for toddlers,” said Michigan League for Public Policy President & CEO Monique Stanton. “These are all big wins for Michigan kids, but harmful legislation like the federal megabill will undoubtedly set us back, which is why it’s so important that local lawmakers protect Medicaid and other essential health services in the state budget.”
The Data Book & Profiles also show areas where things have clearly worsened for Michigan kids and families. Public funding for education has not kept up with inflation, which is an area where some of the worst outcomes are seen. The share of students reading proficiently in third grade declined by 9.7% statewide, worsening in 62 counties and showing no improvement in 10 counties from 2018 to 2024. And the share of students proficient in eighth-grade math declined by 18.6% statewide, worsening in 77 counties and showing no improvement in 3 counties from 2019 to 2024.
The average cost of monthly child care also saw one of the worst changes, with all counties in Michigan seeing child care costs either worsen or remain elevated. Costs increased in 77 of Michigan’s 83 counties. The statewide average cost of monthly child care increased by $261.
And while Michigan’s child poverty rate for children ages 0-17 declined by 9% and fell in 70 out of 83 counties, 17.5% of all Michigan kids were still living in poverty in 2023 and food insecurity increased by 21.8%. This indicates that many families in Michigan are still struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis, which will only be exacerbated by recent federal cuts to social safety net programs.
“This is a fragile time for Michigan kids and families, especially those with moderate to low incomes. In addition to the harmful cuts to Medicaid, cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are also deeply concerning as food insecurity is on the rise in 61 counties across our state,” said Stanton. “Politics should not be getting in the way of providing nutritious food to children during the most important years of their lives. Stripping food away from them is unconscionable as it will undoubtedly result in worse health outcomes, developmental delays and academic challenges that will put their chances of having a bright future at risk.”
This year’s Data Book focuses on what Michigan’s kids will inherit, highlighting the need for family economic security, a world-class education, health care, and thriving families and communities. It also provides an evidence-based, pro-kid agenda featuring 12 key policy proposals to lift up families as they work to provide opportunities for their children and support young people as they strive to make the transition into adulthood. The policy proposals in the Data Book’s pro-kid agenda include:
- Fully funding the true cost of early childhood care and education, including stronger workforce investments and ensured access and affordability for all families
- Providing continuous Medicaid coverage for young children
- Increasing access to mental health services in public schools
- Fully funding the Opportunity Index for Michigan schools and students
- Reducing teen smoking by increasing state spending on tobacco prevention and cessation
- Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to young adults under age 25
- Adopting universal free community college
- Ending life without parole for emerging adults
- Adopting a Michigan Child Tax Credit that includes kids who are left out of the federal credit because their parents earn too little
- Enacting paid family and medical leave
- Increasing access to the Family Independence Program, which reached an all-time low in 2023 due to policy barriers and a low payment standard
- Investing in affordable rental housing
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to use data to educate, advocate and fight for policy solutions that undo historic and systemic racial and economic inequities to lift up Michiganders who have been left out of prosperity. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way. The League is also the State of Michigan’s Kids Count organization.
The Kids Count in Michigan project, https://mlpp.org/kids-count/, is part of a broad national effort to improve conditions for children and their families. Long-standing, major funders for the project include the Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, the Children’s Foundation, the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, the Ruth Mott Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, United Way for Southeastern Michigan and many other generous sponsors. Additional state and local data is available at www.datacenter.kidscount.org.
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
