Contact:
Alex Rossman
arossman@mlpp.org
517.487.5436
Lansing, Mich.—The Michigan League for Public Policy called for action today on funding in the 2017 state budget for child care, at-risk students and adult education as the Michigan Legislature prepares to take up budget legislation this week. The League sees these as key issues for improving kids’ education outcomes and workers’ economic standing, and a way to immediately address the challenges families in Flint and Detroit are facing.
“If the Legislature is looking to use the budget to help people and improve the state economy, increasing funding for students at risk, adult education and child care is the way to do that,” said Gilda Jacobs, president & CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy. “For toddlers whose brains are at peak development and students facing hardship at home and at school to adults who face employment and earnings barriers because of a lack of education, investing in these programs will benefit generations and lift families out of poverty.”
The League’s state budget priorities are outlined in a series of budget briefs, and additional updates will be added to the website as the budget progresses. The education budget recommendations to lawmakers include:
- Support expanded child care funding for young children in Flint;
- Increase income eligibility for child care assistance to at least 150% of poverty;
- Invest $10 million in adult education funding to enable 8,000 more students to be served;
- Only expand adult education eligibility to individuals under 20 years old if additional funding is provided to cover them.
- Fully fund the state’s At-Risk School Aid program and expand eligibility to all districts.
The child poverty rate has increased in the state by 23 percent since 2006, with nearly 1 in every 4 children in Michigan living in poverty (22.6 percent). Child poverty is even higher for kids of color (47 percent for African-Americans and 32 percent for Hispanics compared to 16 percent for White kids).
Children living in poverty often require additional services and resources, which come at a greater cost to their schools. While Michigan’s At-Risk School Aid program is designed to address that and better serve low-income kids, it has only been fully funded for two years out of the last two decades, resulting in a cumulative shortfall of nearly $2 billion.
“The Kids Count in Michigan Data Book released last month showed that too many kids are living in poverty, and that it affects their education, their health and their future,” said Alicia Guevara Warren, Kids Count in Michigan project director at the League. “Kids of color face continued barriers to opportunity and economic stability, especially in Flint and Detroit right now, and policymakers can and should address this by investing in these programs to help workers, schools, parents and kids.”
In Michigan, 2 of every 3 young children now have all parents in the workforce, making child care essential to many families. At the same time, child care costs are hurting all families—especially those making low wages. A family of four living at the state median wage must dedicate more than 20 percent of its income to place two children in a child care center. On average, monthly child care consumed almost 40 percent of 2015 minimum wage earnings, and at poverty-level wages, over 80 percent of a family’s income would be consumed by child care.
Despite rising child care costs for parents, child care providers are some of the lowest-paid workers in the state. Child care workers had median wages of only $8.73/hour in Michigan in 2013, and their earnings are so low nationwide that almost half receive some form of public assistance.
Over 221,500 Michigan adults age 25-44 lack a high school diploma or GED, yet fewer than 7% are enrolled in adult education. At the same time, Michigan has greatly reduced its funding for adult education over the past 15 years, down as much as $60 million a year.
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The Michigan League for Public Policy, www.mlpp.org, is a nonprofit policy institute focused on economic opportunity for all. It is the only state-level organization that addresses poverty in a comprehensive way.
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.
