This column originally appeared in The Alpena News on April 29, 2020
When my colleagues and I began discussing updates to the Kids Count data profiles last fall, I was looking forward to highlighting improvements in children’s well-being in Michigan. In a line of work where it can be difficult to clearly see the impact of your efforts and positive change can often take years (and sometimes tears), it was partly out of a selfish desire for some good news—and sincere appreciation for all that child advocates around the state do—that I was excited to focus on what’s going well.
But COVID-19 changed our reality along with everyone else’s, and it raises some major concerns about where Michigan kids are and where we’re headed. We tackle both ends of that spectrum and more in our 2020 Kids Count online data profiles that were released today and are available at mlpp.org/kids-count/2020profiles.
The Good
Statewide and in most counties, teen birth rates have gone down, allowing more teens to stay kids for longer before taking up the responsibility of starting a family. A majority of counties saw more students graduating high school on time, and fewer families and kids are wracked by the stress and lack of resources from living in poverty.
In the last year, clear policy wins expanded access to needed services. For example, asset limit tests for food and other state assistance eligibility was tripled from $5,000 to $15,000 to allow more families to receive support without being punished for saving for the future. And nearly 100,000 Michiganders were able to keep their health insurance after work requirements were struck down by a federal court.
These changes were made possible by the endless efforts of caregivers, advocates, service providers, educators and policymakers.
The Bad
These highlights are certainly significant. But the reality is that many Michigan kids and their families are still struggling, and we have even more work ahead of us in light of COVID.
As the newest Kids Count data profiles highlight, Michigan families are struggling. And children suffer for it. Though childhood poverty has gone down, nearly 1 in 5 Michigan children still live in poverty, and the number of folks that can’t afford a “bare-bones budget” (but are not technically in poverty) increased by nearly 95,000 households in the last decade.
Even more, 1 in 10 kids still live in dangerously “deep” or extreme poverty, our youngest kids (those 0 – 5 years old) are most likely to be food insecure, and the cost of child care and housing alone can eat up almost half the budget of workers with low incomes. This is not how we build a stronger Michigan.
We can’t set up our children for the best life possible when families can’t afford basic necessities or—and just as importantly—enrichment. Every day that we miss the mark, we miss an opportunity to help children grow and live optimally.
The Ugly
Michigan is one of the most unequal states in the nation when it comes to earnings: the top 1 percent make over 20 times that of the bottom 99 percent. For over 20 years, earnings for the top 1 percent increased while the latter decreased. That’s not by happenstance—policies have fancied the wealthy and corporations while defunding schools, restricting access to services that help families make ends meet and reducing tax credits for low and moderate earners.
Poverty is not inevitable. But if we don’t prioritize children and families in our budget, these ugly trends will continue. COVID-19 and its impact has been hitting people with lower incomes particularly hard, and the economic struggles that follow will as well, widening the income gap instead of closing it.
The Call to Action
There is also a list of policy targets that can help us course correct and ensure we help children, families and workers get through and recover from the health and economic crisis caused by COVID-19 stronger than ever.
We know that restoring the state Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) back to its former levels could triple the average EITC refund amount from $150 to $500 for tens of thousands of Michiganders. The 10 Cents a Meal program can be extended to every school district and child care centers to help farmers get local, healthy foods to our fast-growing kids. A weighted school funding formula will make sure all school districts can equitably meet all students’ needs.
To help counties quickly understand how they’re trending for a number of indicators, we replaced the ranking system with green, yellow and red dots to visualize what’s getting better, staying stagnant or worsening. In this way, counties can quickly see where they have made progress—and every county has made progress in children’s well-being. It also allows us to look internally to consider the best steps forward and biggest challenges facing each county.
The Kids Count profiles can be used year round, and the online data center has yearly data, ranking and graphs available. Every month that we wait, and every year that doesn’t adequately fund services for kids is a missed opportunity we can’t get back. This year, we must celebrate the wins while staying serious about calculating our next steps to help kids.
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.
