The Bulletin

May 2023

State Budget Process Continues: Early Childhood Highlights

Two weeks ago, the appropriations committees in the State Legislature approved budget bills representing their priorities for spending. The next step is for each legislative chamber to approve or amend the proposed spending bills. That began this week. Once the budget bills are approved in each chamber, they are closer to final negotiations on the differences between the House, Senate, and Governor’s proposals. With the Consensus Revenue Estimating Conference scheduled for next week, lawmakers will have updated estimates on available revenue to help inform their discussions as they finalize the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2023 (FY24).

Download ECIC’s color-coded summary with a few highlights from the budget proposals approved by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and watch for more updates and action alerts as the state budget process continues.

Download Budget Summary

Innovations Across MI: ECE Apprenticeship Roundtable Webinar May 23

Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn more about our impact!

Join ECIC's Child Care Innovation Fund, the Michigan Department of Education, and other early care and education apprenticeship partners for an ECE Registered Apprenticeship Roundtable on May 23, 2023, from 1:00-3:00 p.m. We'll share more about our progress toward sustainability, provide an update on where ECE registered apprenticeship will fall on the career pathway, and discuss topics including MI’s responses to CDA challenges that early educators and their employers experience, what the current apprenticeship-sponsoring agencies are learning, and possible future funding opportunities.

These projects are supported by funding provided from the Michigan Department of Education utilizing American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, from the Office of Child Care, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

ICYMI: ECIC @ MiAEYC

ECIC team members from our Great Start to Quality and Equity & Leadership team presented at this year’s Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Early Childhood Conference in Grand Rapids! ECIC was thrilled to share and learn from fellow professionals in the early childhood field.

In case you missed it, you can find ECIC's panel recordings online until the end of May.

Visit the Michigan AEYC website to learn more.

In Policy: Acting for Young Kids & Families

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) in Early Childhood

Were you following the news last month when Dr. Barbara Cooper was forced out of her state leadership position in Alabama over the use of NAEYC’s Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP) book?

Nationwide, tens of thousands of early childhood advocates and state and local leaders came together to support NAEYC and Dr. Cooper by signing on to support the principles of DAP, including ECIC and our coalition partners across Michigan.

Here are a couple actions you can take:

- Share the link to NAEYC (https://www.naeyc.org/) with your colleagues and friends inside and outside of early childhood education
- Read and share Michigan AEYC’s statement of support.
- Post on social media–you can take a picture of the DAP book in action, and use hashtags such as #DAPinECE and #EquityinECE

In our Community

Get Involved

Midwest Regional Webinar

Investing in the Child Care Workforce: The Critical Link to Strengthening our Community

Be a part of the solution! On May 17, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families Regions 5 and 7, in partnership with the Midwest Region of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Women’s Bureau for a webinar on innovations and partnerships that strengthen early care and education.

Access to high quality, affordable early child care is necessary for the economy and labor shortages.

Provider's Corner

Free Air Purifiers Available

Michigan K-12 schools and early child care facilities are encouraged to get free air purifiers through the MI Safe School Indoor Air Ventilation program. Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) launched the program last year to improve indoor air quality in schools and child care settings by providing clean air and safe, healthy environments. The program works with partners to provide air purifiers at no cost to Michigan schools and child care providers.

For more information, submit your K-12 school, licensed early childhood education centers, and licensed child caring center information to the MI Safe Schools Indoor Air Ventilation Program Interest.

Early Childhood Investment Corporation

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