A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.
On August 21, as many kids headed back to school and parents bustled to work and childcare drop off, hundreds of child advocates gathered in Lansing to get the first look at the latest Kids Count in Michigan data.
Each year, Kids Count in Michigan evaluates child well-being across four key domains: economic security, education, health and safety, and family and community. This year, a fifth domain—early childhood—was added, focusing specifically on data for the state’s youngest children, from birth to age 5. Early childhood well-being is a major priority for the Michigan League for Public Policy and our partners, and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, whose PreK for All goal would provide all 4-year-olds with free preschool.
The goal of the Kids Count project is to offer a snapshot of broad trends across the state, enabling policymakers, parents and organizations to use this data as a resource to develop and advocate for data-driven policies that create a brighter future for Michigan kids and their families. Data covers the entire state, its 83 counties, and the three largest cities: Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids.
From 2017 to 2022/2023, Michigan saw improvements in 13 of 19 key areas.
Notable improvements include fewer families spending over 30% of their income on housing, with 81 of 83 counties seeing declines. Given that the data for this indicator is from 2022, it’s likely that the federal COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance program played a significant role in helping families manage housing costs across the United States.
This program was among several successful federal initiatives designed to support families during the pandemic. Despite clear evidence of its positive impact on keeping families housed, the funds have now been exhausted, leaving this critical support unavailable. Michigan should reinstate the program at the state level and ensure ongoing investment to mitigate housing insecurity within the state.
In education, many indicators for our youngest children worsened. Continuing a years-long trend, the share of students proficient in third-grade reading continues to fall steadily, with less than half of all third-graders in Michigan reading proficiently. Additionally, preschool enrollment for 3- and 4-year-olds declined in well over half of Michigan counties.
On a positive note, Michigan’s free preschool program for 4-year-olds was expanded in the 2025 budget. It will now cover families earning up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)—relevant since 74% of children under 5 were below this threshold in 2022.
We must ensure that families are able to find safe and affordable child care options for their young children while they are working. We know that only a small percentage of all children in Michigan are actually receiving the child care subsidies they are eligible for, so it is a win to see that in the upcoming budget, the Child Development and Care program keeps coverage at 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, increasing access to child care scholarships for working families and marking significant progress in early childhood care statewide. When children are better cared for and have access to early childhood programs like these, it ensures they develop the social skills, emotional development and confidence needed to guide them later in their education.
Every kid deserves a childhood where they can learn, develop, and thrive without facing obstacles to essential resources like education, healthcare, and economic stability. While there are still many areas of child well-being in Michigan that require significant improvement, the strong investments in our children over the past few years give us hope for reversing some of the negative trends we’ve seen in recent years.
As the impacts of the pandemic continue to recede, it remains crucial to enact strong policies that prioritize the welfare of children, as they are the cornerstone of Michigan’s future. We hope everyone feels encouraged to visit our new annual data profiles, interactive heat maps, and other advocacy resources to explore how children are faring in their area and continue to fight for beneficial policy solutions.
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.
