A version of this column originally appeared in The Alpena News.
Every year, Kids Count in Michigan measures child well-being in four domain areas: economic security, education, health and safety, and family and community. Data are available for the state of Michigan as a whole, each of the state’s 83 counties, and the three cities with the largest child populations: Detroit, Flint and Grand Rapids. Policymakers, parents and organizations across the board can utilize these data as tools in creating and advocating for data-driven policies that will benefit all children.
Let’s take a look at the data! We looked at trends from 2016 to 2021 (in some cases, 2022 data was used), and here is what we saw:
Over the past six years, the most improved areas of child well-being were:
- Overwhelmingly for all age groups, poverty rates improved. Out of Michigan’s 83 counties, poverty rates improved in 76 and 75 counties, respectively, for children and young adults. When we invest in children—as we did in 2021 through tax credits for families, larger monthly food benefits and continuous Medicaid enrollment—we ensure that they are not experiencing the hardship that comes with economic insecurity, so that they may better focus on building healthy life foundations.
- We also saw a reduction in births to teens in 77 counties. This is a continued trend that we have seen reduce dramatically over the last few decades. Though these numbers have decreased tremendously in most counties, we must ensure strong support for teenage parents, allow access to a comprehensive health education for all students, and give all teenagers the right resources to excel in school.
- Graduation rates improved in over half of all counties. However, over 1 in 4 high schoolers aren’t graduating on time in Alpena county. Children need to graduate on time if they want to ensure they obtain good-paying and in-demand jobs. This year, Gov. Whitmer created a new statewide department called the “Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential” (MiLEAP) with the goal of guiding children through their education careers from preschool to postsecondary education.
These improvements show just how important these investments have been for our children. However, there are still some areas that need improvement:
- On the education front, the share of students reading proficiently in third grade declined in 70 out of 83 counties. Fewer than half of all third grade students were reading proficiently before the pandemic, but school disruptions set students further back.
- Free and reduced-price lunch eligibility increased in 79 counties. Students are eligible if they fall below 185% of the federal poverty line, or $55,500 for a family of four. So although poverty decreased in most counties, more parents are still falling behind financially and are struggling to make ends meet.
- Preschool enrollment rates decreased in over half of all Michigan counties. As children’s brains develop more from birth to age five than any other time in life, it is crucial we make sure all 4-year-olds have access to high-quality pre-K education. School readiness—having the cognitive, behavioral and social skills to succeed in school—is a strong predictor of a child’s future educational achievement.
Looking forward:
These data offer a glimpse of how children are doing in each community across Michigan. All children are entitled to a childhood in which they can learn, grow, and thrive without barriers to access necessities like education, healthcare, and economic security. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, we saw record investments in children like never before. These COVID-19-era investments lifted children out of poverty, increased Medicaid coverage rates, and ensured children were fed when school wasn’t in session.
These unprecedented levels of investment strongly helped mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on our most vulnerable populations, ensuring children and families were still able to stay afloat amidst an unwaveringly frightening time. We must continue to devote strong policies in favor of children, even after the pandemic has tapered, for they are the foundation of Michigan’s future.
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.
Jacob Kaplan 
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. 
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.
Donald Stuckey 
Patrick Schaefer
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
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.
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.
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.
Amber Bellazaire joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a policy analyst in June of 2019. Her work primarily focuses on state policy and budgets affecting Michigan’s Medicaid programs. Previously, Amber worked at the National Conference of State Legislatures tracking legislation and research related to injury and violence prevention, adolescent health, and maternal and child health. She also brings with her two years of Americorps service. As a full time volunteer, Amber had the opportunity to tutor high school students in Chelsea, Massachusetts and address issues of healthcare access and food insecurity through in-person outreach in Seattle, Washington.
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.
