The Bulletin

March 2024

MiLEAP Announces Expanded Access to the Child Care Scholarship

The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MiLEAP) announced changes to make it easier for more families to access low or no cost child care. Effective February 25, 2024, MiLEAP eliminated the requirement for primary parents to work with the Office of Child Support to qualify for child care subsidy, a policy change that ECIC, Think Babies Michigan, and other family and early childhood advocacy organizations have been urging for some time. 

Even if parents were previously denied child care assistance or chose not to apply because of the requirement to work with the Office of Child Support, now is a great time to apply. Families who are unsure of their eligibility are encouraged to use the Eligibility Calculator.



MiLEAP is proud to join several other states across the nation that have decided to remove this barrier to ensure more young children have access to quality child care. 

New Resource: Engaging Fathers as Parent Leaders 

Far too often, fathers and other male caregivers are not engaged in parent leadership efforts in early childhood. To strengthen systems-building efforts, early childhood stakeholders must be more intentional about how they recruit, engage, and retain fathers as a part of family and parent leadership opportunities. This resource outlines the top five tips and strategies for effectively reaching and engaging fathers whose voices are often underrepresented in shaping the early childhood system. 

Listen Now: Strategies for Engaging Dads of Color as Parent Leaders 

Black History Month may have ended, but ECIC’s racial equity work continues year-round. As part of its year-long campaign on engaging dads as parent leaders, ECIC’s National Center for Family & Parent Leadership encourages diverse voices in parent leadership as part of its strategy to embed parent leadership in state and local organizations.  

In this conversation with ECIC team member Jacob Pinney-Johnson, Anthony Queen, Kent County Parent Leader, discusses the importance of organizations mindfully engaging fathers of color, acknowledging historical context and the needs of marginalized communities. Bringing fathers of color to the table is just one strategy that can help organizations successfully and intentionally engage communities.  

Learn more about the National Center for Family & Parent Leadership.  

FEDERAL

New Bill Introduced to Address Child Care Workforce Shortage

A bipartisan bill to create the Early Childhood Workforce Advancement Act, was recently introduced to address the child care workforce shortage across the nation.

The proposal aims to increase funding for career and technical education (CTE) programs and encourage greater student participation in the early childhood education sector. This would be achieved through the distribution of grants to eligible partners, including child care providers, as well as the development and enhancement of early childhood career pathway programs. 

Many Americans have either changed their profession or left their job due to the inadequate supply of child care. This bill can help replenish the early childhood workforce, and significantly impact the country’s economy. 



Learn more about how ECIC’s Child Care Innovation Fund is addressing Michigan’s early child care workforce shortage.  

Think Babies Michigan Parent Leader Spotlight - Christina Kuhn

Think Babies Michigan (TBMI) is excited to share another Parent Spotlight – a series celebrating the parents leading the TBMI initiative and working to build a stronger, more inclusive prenatal-to-three system for Michigan’s youngest. This month, we are shining a light on Christina Kuhn, a fierce advocate for high quality early care and learning.

Early Childhood Advocates' Corner

Testing Requirements for Breast Milk

The ECIC Michigan Early Childhood Bill Tracker offers a current compilation of pending early childhood bills in the Michigan state legislature. It includes a concise summary of the potential modifications to existing state laws, the expected effects on the welfare of young children and their families (whether positive, limited, or detrimental), details of the bill sponsor(s), and the current progress in the legislative process. 

This month we are featuring HB 4728. HB 4728 would amend the Public Health Code to change HIV testing requirements for breast milk.

Get Involved: In the Community

Early Childhood Advocates Corner

Think Babies Michigan (TBMI), Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (Michigan AEYC), and Mothering Justice invite you to join the 2024 Early Childhood Capitol Day on Wednesday, March 20. Registration is now full for in person participation, but please don’t let that stop you! Participate from across Michigan and elevate the unique needs of families with young children. Our social media toolkit has helpful suggested tweets, captions, and language for participants to share on their social media platforms throughout the day.  

Tune into Early Childhood Investment Corporation’s Facebook page at 12:30 p.m. to watch state legislators speak on the Capitol steps and engage with your legislator by tagging them in pre-scripted posts. 



Event updates and a digital toolkit will be available on the Early Childhood Investment Corporation website.

Provider's Corner 

Save the Date! MASP and GSQ  

The Michigan Afterschool Partnership (MASP) will be hosting an opportunity for school-aged programs to learn more about Great Start to Quality and how it supports quality improvement. Mark your calendars for March 21 from 10-11 a.m. Watch the GSQ Facebook page for more information. 

April GSQ Quality Connection