End of the Longest Federal Government Shutdown in History: Act Now for Michigan Families 

The 2025 federal government shutdown has officially ended, after reaching the milestone status of the longest in history. During the shutdown, Michigan families experienced disruptions to essential programs like SNAP and Head Start that keep children healthy, fed, and learning. 

“When parents lose access to Head Start, children lose nutritious meals and opportunities to learn and grow, and early educators lose their jobs, the damage is both immediate and long-lasting,” said ECIC CEO Alicia Guevara. Hear from ECIC and partners across Michigan about how the shutdown impacted children and communities statewide.

A continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through January 30, 2026, has been signed into law, but your voice is still needed as lawmakers negotiate a final budget deal to begin February 1. The CR funds government programs at the same level as last year’s budget, while the U.S. Senate has called for increased funding for essential early childhood programs like child care, Head Start and Early Head Start. Visit ECIC’s Action Center to contact your representatives and encourage them to pass a federal fiscal year 2026 budget that increases much-needed support for Michigan families. 

The passage of the CR came with a commitment to vote on an extension of health care subsidies later this winter, which are set to expire on December 31, 2025. However, this does not guarantee that health care subsidies will pass Congress and be extended, and families have already seen dramatic cost increases as open enrollment began on November 1 with no deal in sight to maintain affordable care for families. Read more and get involved with the Protect MI Care Coalition.

Embedding Parent Leadership into Montana’s Early Childhood Systems

ECIC CEO Alicia Guevara and National Center for Family and Parent Leadership (NCFPL) Program Manager Sarah Zyburt facilitated a statewide convening with the Montana Early Childhood Coalition, a statewide coalition of local early childhood coalitions. In partnership with a parent leader in Montana, Zyburt and Guevara guided coalition members and parent leaders to share best practices and support for embedding family leaders into the coalitions’ early childhood work. 

CONNECTing with Early Childhood Advocates

ECIC Vice President of Strategic Impact Mina Hong joined state and national early childhood advocates to present at CONNECT25, hosted by the Alliance for Early Success, in Salt Lake City, UT.

Hong was joined by family leaders and advocates from organizations who have made courageous shifts toward authentic shared power and family-led change to present Comfort vs. Courage: Disrupting Power to Center Family Voice and Belonging. This session facilitated individual and organizational understanding of how to authentically partner with families for strengthened early childhood systems, moving from performative inclusion to authentic partnership.

Learn more about this work from ECIC’s National Center for Family and Parent Leadership. 

Advocating for Young Children at Infant Mental Health Capitol Day

The Michigan Association of Infant Mental Health (MI-AIMH) hosted the third annual Infant Mental Health Capitol Day on October 30, 2025! Co-sponsored by Think Babies Michigan, families, educators, legislators, and advocates from across the state joined MI-AIMH to discuss the critical need for family and workforce support in the infant mental health field.

Read more and watch coverage of the event.

Get Involved: In the Community

ICYMI: NCFPL’s Quarterly Webinar

The National Center for Family and Parent Leadership, powered by ECIC, hosted their most recent quarterly webinar on November 6! Joined by parent and system leaders from across the country, "What Families Are Facing Right Now" centered parent leaders as experts in transforming what families are currently navigating into leadership.

Early Educator Wage Initiative Announced by MiLEAP and GOISD

MiLEAP and the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District have announced a $16 million initiative to boost wages for early educators across the state. This wage initiative will be carried out by Michigan’s 10 Regional Child Care Coalitions, with technical assistance to the Regional Child Care Coalitions provided by ECIC’s Child Care Innovation Fund team. The wage initiative will provide monthly stipends for early educators in an effort to promote retention and wage stability for the early childhood workforce. 

Learn more about Regional Child Care Coalitions and read MiLEAP’s press release about the wage initiative.

Providers' Corner

Nurture Benefits Pilot: Enrollment Open!