New state and county data show that only a fraction of eligible young kids are receiving support, services
Michigan must expand early childhood services, improve connections between families and programs
Lansing— 683,798 children between the ages of 0 and 5 live in Michigan, and their access to vital health, nutritional and educational services varies drastically depending on their race, place or income according to a new set of fact sheets from the Michigan League for Public Policy and Kids Count in Michigan. The data, broken down by county, show that many Michigan children lack access to child care, healthy foods, safe living spaces and economic security—key foundational supports to helping kids thrive.
“Michigan is moving in the right direction, with $1.4 billion in child care funding and significant investments in child nutrition, infant and maternal health and more included in the 2022 state budget,” said Monique Stanton, President and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “But we must do more to ensure kids and families are actually accessing the programs they need, as this information reveals marked disparities. This could be happening for a lot of reasons, but there are clearly gaps where families need support and aren’t getting it, and policymakers and policy advocates need to work together to address that. We hope these fact sheets can help spur continued bipartisan action to invest the billions of American Rescue Plan Act dollars currently at state policymakers’ disposal, with an emphasis on the needs of kids and parents.”
For example, 35% of children between ages 0 and 5 in the state qualified for child care subsidy credits, but only 5% of children actually received those subsidies. In November, the state raised the threshold for child care subsidies to 185% of the federal poverty level. An estimated 44% of Michiganders live in child care deserts—but only one county in the state, Baraga County in the Upper Peninsula, had enough spots in high-quality child care to support its population of children. Due to a lack of government investment and a system where child care is “funded” predominantly by parents and underpaid child care professionals, quality child care providers tend to be concentrated in wealthier, whiter areas where parents can afford to pay more.
“The data show that many rural communities in Michigan—as well as some urban and suburban areas—have limited access to child care or specialized medical services, including mental health care,” said Ann-Marie Faria, a researcher at the American Institutes for Research (AIR), who leads the Michigan Preschool Development grant Needs Assessment. “This information can serve as a catalyst for government agencies, organizations, and communities to collaborate and identify solutions that provide citizens with equitable access to key services and opportunities.”
The fact sheets also examine data on immunizations, abuse and neglect, mental health services, education and other health factors such as lead levels. All of these factors play a role when it comes to child development, but are of particular significance as Michigan continues to weather the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Legislature passed and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed into law a 2022 School Aid budget increasing the early education program with an investment of roughly $168 million into the Great Start Readiness program and $1.4 billion investment in child care to increase access, improve quality and expand eligibility.
“The state Legislature and Governor Whitmer have made greater investments in early childhood education and child care, and we need to make sure that all eligible children and families in every part of the state have access to these important services,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice. “It is a sizable investment and a good start. More needs to be done to help close gaps in educational services, nutrition, and overall child health.”
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This is a project of the Preschool Development Grant Birth-Five renewal initiative funded through the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children & Families, Office of Child Care, grant number TP0055. The Michigan Department of Education, Office of Great Start is the PDG B-5 grantee for the state of Michigan. This project was performed under its needs assessment contract with the American Institutes for Research.
Michigan was one of the 20 states to originally receive a federal PDG B-5 renewal grant funding amounting to a $40 million-plus investment in Michigan’s early childhood system over three years—assessing the root causes of barriers in access to early childhood programs and services, which will inform an action plan to address them. The grant funds also go to increase family knowledge and choice of programs and services; increase use of evidence-based and best practices by providers; increase overall quality and access; address data gaps; and evaluate the progress made by the grant.
The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on opportunity for all. Its mission is to advance economic security, racial equity, health and well-being for all people in Michigan through policy change. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
The Kids Count in Michigan project, www.mlpp.org/kids-count, is part of a broad national effort to improve conditions for children and their families. Funding for the project is provided by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, The Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, The Skillman Foundation, Steelcase Foundation, Michigan Education Association, American Federation of Teachers Michigan, Ruth Mott Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation, United Way for Southeastern Michigan, DTE Energy Foundation, Ford Motor Company Fund and the Battle Creek Community Foundation. More state and local data are available at the Kids Count Data Center, www.datacenter.kidscount.org. About AIR. Established in 1946, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance both domestically and internationally in the areas of education, health and the workforce. AIR’s work is driven by its mission to generate and use rigorous evidence that contributes to a better, more equitable world. With headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, AIR has offices across the U.S. and abroad. For more information, visit www.air.org. The Michigan Department of Education supports learning and learners and is dedicated to the vision that every learner in Michigan will have an inspiring, engaging, and caring learning environment that fosters creative and critical thinkers who believe in their ability to positively influence Michigan and the world beyond. Expanding early childhood learning opportunities is among the eight goals of the state’s Strategic Education Plan.
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.
