The Election for Kids and Families
Wednesday, September 25, 2024
This edition is dedicated to highlighting the critical issues that advocates should prioritize for the upcoming federal and Michigan state elections. Our focus will delve into the policies and decisions that have a direct impact on children and families, while also offering valuable insights on how to effect meaningful change during this election season. Your participation in this essential conversation is highly encouraged.
Resources:
- The Election for Kids and Families (recording)
- The Election for Kids and Families (PowerPoint)
- The Election for Kids and Families (YouTube)
A Summer Sizzler: Outcomes for Kids in the FY2025 State Budget
Wednesday, July 10
Let’s delve into the budget specifics and our priorities for children and families. There’s a lot to unpack here! We’ll cover student funding allowance, universal Pre-K (including the expansion of the Great Start Readiness Program), child care, Early On, support for foster families and children, and more. How did everything pan out? Let’s discover that together.
Resources:
- A Summer Sizzler: Outcomes for Kids in the FY2025 State Budget (recording)
- A Summer Sizzler: Outcomes for Kids in the FY2025 State Budget (PowerPoint)
- A Summer Sizzler: Outcomes for Kids in the FY2025 State Budget (YouTube)
What are Advocates Saying about FY25 Points of Contention in Budget Talks over Child Care?
Wednesday, May 29, 2024
What are the major points of contention in FY25 budget talks in child care and early childhood issues this season? With major House and Senate budget bills now in, conference committee meetings are being organized next week to work out the key differences between lawmakers’ plans and those advanced by the Governor’s office. Hear from child and family advocates as they lay out the consequences of the competing plans, and what would work best for kids and families.
Resources:
- What are Advocates Saying about FY25 Points of Contention in Budget Talks over Child Care? (recording)
- What are Advocates Saying about FY25 Points of Contention in Budget Talks over Child Care? (PowerPoint)
- What are Advocates Saying about FY25 Points of Contention in Budget Talks over Child Care? (YouTube)
- FY25 Budget Comparison: Governor, House & Senate (webpage)
House and Senate FY25 Budget Plans are Moving: Let’s Look at Funding Recs for Children and Families
Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Join us as we explore details in the emerging House and Senate budget plans for FY2025. We’ll examine the funding levels lawmakers are putting forth for programs and services benefiting our children, youth, and families. And we’ll compare them with Governor Whitmer’s recommended budget plans for the coming year.
Hear from a panel of statewide advocates and Michigan’s Children staff as they discuss where you can make your voice heard in the budget process. Panelists are:
Jeff Cobb, Director of Government Affairs, The Education Trust – Midwest
Tyler Huntey, CEO, Huntey’s Clubhouse; founding member, The Michigan Child Care Provider Collective
Madeline Elliott, Policy & Program Associate, Michigan’s Children
Matt Gillard, President & CEO, Michigan’s Children,
Resources:
- House and Senate FY25 Budget Plans are Moving: Let’s Look at Funding Recs for Children and Families (recording)
- House and Senate FY25 Budget Plans are Moving: Let’s Look at Funding Recs for Children and Families (PowerPoint)
- House and Senate FY25 Budget Plans are Moving: Let’s Look at Funding Recs for Children and Families (YouTube)
- Legislative Handout: Michigan Partnership for Equity and Opportunity (pdf)
- FY 2024-2025 House Fiscal Agency Analysis: House School Aid and Education Appropriations Subcommittee recommendations (webpage)
- FY 2024-2025 School Aid Budget, Senate Appropriations Recommendations (webpage)
- MPEO Statement on FY 2024-2025 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on PreK-12 Recommendations (webpage)
- Action Alert: Tell Your Lawmakers to Increase their Support for Child Care to Help Families & Providers (webpage)
- Michigan Child Care Provider Collective (webpage)
Winning Time: Tips for Productive Conversations with Lawmakers and Candidates
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Hear from three experts from the lobbying field and advocacy as they describe how to have a “winning” conversation with lawmakers and decision-makers around budget “asks” important to kids and families. We’ll offer a role-playing exercise in which Michigan’s Children’s Policy Associate Lindsay Huddleston talks to a “lawmaker” about the need for state funding for runaway and homeless youth. Then Matt Gillard opens up the panel talk with these guests:
- Harvey Santana, a former Michigan State representative, now the Michigan State Director for the Alliance for Safety and Justice.
- Christin Nohner, lobbyist with Kelley Cawthorne, a leading Midwestern lobbying firm with offices in Lansing and Detroit.
- and Patrick Brown (right), Director of Adult Student Attainment Strategy for the Michigan College Access Network.
Resources:
Winning Time: Tips for Productive Conversations with Lawmakers and Candidates (recording)
Winning Time: Tips for Productive Conversations with Lawmakers and Candidates (PPT)
Winning Time: Tips for Productive Conversations with Lawmakers and Candidates (YouTube)
Breaking through the Noise
Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024
Governor Whitmer’s FY25 budget recommendations are out. Join us as we discuss highlights of issues related to children and families with guest panelists from key policy areas. Learn how to catch the ear of lawmakers as the noisy campaign and election season heats up.
Guests: Frances Einterz, Senior Director of Early Childhood Equity Initiatives, The Policy Equity Group; Ryan Fewins-Bliss, Executive Director, Michigan College Access Network; Erica Willard, Executive Director, the Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children.
Resources:
- “Breaking through the Noise” (recording)
- Budget Basics: FY25 Michigan Governor’s Budget Proposal: Key Wins and Missed Opportunities for Children, Youth and Families (pdf)
- Advocates Guide to the FY2025 State Budget (pdf)
- “A Roadmap for Implementing PreK for All” (pdf)
- “We Are Not OK”: Early Childhood Educators and Families Face Rising Challenges as Relief Funds Expire (Source: NAEYC) (pdf)
The True Cost of Care & the Child Care System Michigan Needs
Wednesday, Jan. 24, 2024
Michigan’s Children is proud to host its first Lunch & Learn program of 2024 with a timely panel discussion on the “The True Cost of Care & the Child Care System Michigan Needs.” Building a child care system that works for families and the providers who care for our children is one of the most urgent public issues of our time. To discuss solutions to this critical crisis, we assembled a seasoned group of expert researchers, economists, and policy gurus. Watch the recording here.
Our panelists were: Sacha Klein, Senior Director of Policy & Advocacy, The Early Childhood Investment Corp. (ECIC); Brandy Jones Lawrence, Senior Analyst, Center for the Study of Child Care Employment/ Institute for Research on Labor & Employment, University of California; Amy Checkoway, Senior Associate Commissioner, Massachusetts Dept. of Early Education & Care; Kathryn Anne Edwards, Economic Policy Consultant; Opinion Writer, Bloomberg; Adjunct Economist, RAND Corp.
Resources:
- “The True Cost of Care & the Child Care System Michigan Needs” (PPT)
- “The True Cost of Care & the Child Care System Michigan Needs” (Recording)
- Michigan’s Early Childhood True Cost Report (2023) (Think Babies Michigan)
- Economic Policy Consultant Kathryn Anne Edwards’ Tik Tok Video Playlist, including “How Do We Know that Childcare is a Market Failure?” and others (Videos)
- “Child Care Since the Pandemic: Macroeconomic Impacts of Public Policy Measures” Senate Subcommittee on Economic Policy, Testimony of Kathryn Anne Edwards, Ph.D. Labor Economist (September 2023)
- Solutions to the Early Childhood Workforce Crisis: How Legislators can make a Difference for Kids, Families, and Educators (Center for the Study of Child Care Employment) (PDF)
- Cost Estimation Study Final Report (prepared for Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care) (PDF)
- FY24 Child Care Financial Assistance – Reimbursement Rate Increases and Proposed Reforms (Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care) (PDF)
- The Untold Cost of Inadequate Child Care (April 2022) (Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation) (PDF)
- Special Legislative Early Education and Care Economic Review Commission (Massachusetts/ March 2022) (Webpage)
Lunch & Learn Series 2023/2022/2021
Click on the images below to access each program resources
Michigan’s Early Childhood Workforce Crisis: The Way Forward
January 19, 2022
Looking Back at 2021 Policy Highlights and Investment Wins for Children & Families
December 15, 2021
Getting to Know the 2021 Michigan Legislature: Building Great Relationships with Incoming (and Returning) Lawmakers
December 16, 2020