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The state’s economic recovery from the pandemic may be limited, officials say, as fewer child care options keep women out of the workforce. It’s a business issue, too, for child care providers seeking available workers.
A proposed $405 million infusion to the Great Start Readiness Program could come from federal COVID funds and the state’s school aid fund. It would provide free preschool to 17,000 more children from low- and moderate-income families.
In the latest sign of how bad things could get, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer asks schools to set up emergency child care centers for the children of “essential workers,” from doctors to grocery stockers, needed in the pandemic fight.
Politicians have plenty to say about college costs. Yet child care expenses can have a bigger impact for many families and businesses. And Michigan has done little to help middle-and-low-income parents.
As student performance in Michigan has plummeted, one strategy where many elected officials, educators, business leaders and state residents agree is bolstering future student success through early childhood programs.
The annual Kids Count Data Book shows the state is moving in the wrong direction on too many key indicators predicting a successful future. Bright spots? Some.
With all the emphasis on “return on investment” in early childhood education, let’s not forget that play, and just play, is the real way children build a foundation for the schooling to come.
Michigan has one of the most restrictive policies in the nation on giving low-income families access to subsidized child care. Yet research shows investing in high-quality care can put more parents back to work and improves the odds for vulnerable children
In a year when state legislators are disinclined to spend, a stunning report shows that Michigan can invest now in proven early childhood programs, or spend a great deal more later.