LANSING, Mich. – More than 150 parents, early childhood educators, and advocates from across Michigan converged on the State Capitol this week for the 2026 Early Childhood Capitol Day, urging state legislators to make meaningful investments in early childhood programs in the Fiscal Year 2027 state budget. The event, co-hosted by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), Think Babies Michigan (TBMI), Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children (Michigan AEYC), Mothering Justice, and the Michigan Head Start Association (MHSA), brought together advocates to elevate their voices and engage directly with their state representatives and senators.
Champions for young children emphasized the urgency of the moment: the brain develops faster in early childhood than at any other point in life, and the outcomes Michigan policymakers are most focused on— third-grade reading, high school graduation, workforce participation, and long-term health — are shaped or undermined during these earliest years. With growing uncertainty around federal funding for programs such as the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF), Head Start, and Medicaid, advocates stressed that Michigan’s state budget must do more, not less, to support families right now.
“The first five years of life are a one-time window to build a strong foundation, and the decisions we make in this budget will strengthen that foundation or not,” said Alicia Guevara, CEO of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation. “Children’s brains develop faster in the early years than at any other time, and when families can’t access reliable child care, home visiting, or early intervention, we see the consequences later in school, in health care costs, and in our workforce.”
Participants arrived at the Capitol with five specific asks for lawmakers:
1. Child Care Scholarship Reimbursement Rates: Advocates called for an increase in child care scholarship reimbursement rates to better reflect the true cost of providing high-quality care with an adequately compensated workforce. Currently, 56% of Michigan programs are limiting the number of available slots due to staffing shortages, and only seven percent of eligible children receive child care assistance each month. With 656,160 children aged 0 to 5 in Michigan but only 397,735 licensed child care slots, the gap is stark and growing.
2. Dedicated Early Childhood Fund: Participants urged the establishment of a dedicated Early Childhood Fund within the state budget, similar to the School Aid Fund for K–12, to safeguard targeted investments in programs and services for children prenatally through age three. Twenty-four states have already created such a fund, and research shows that investments during this period yield a 13% annual return.
3. Perinatal, Infant, and Early Childhood Mental Health (PIECMH): Advocates called for protecting funding for PIECMH programs, including home visiting and infant mental health services. One in five mothers experiences a perinatal mental health condition, the leading underlying cause of pregnancy-related deaths. Data shows that every dollar invested in infant mental health returns $3.64 in future medical savings.
4. Early On Michigan: Participants asked for a $5 million increase in funding for Early On Michigan, the state’s early intervention system for infants and toddlers with developmental delays and/or disabilities. Despite an estimated 15% of Michigan children having a developmental delay or disability, only 4.4% currently receive services. Referrals to Early On have increased by 27% since pre-pandemic levels, underscoring growing demand.
5. Rx Kids: Advocates urged lawmakers to maintain the $20 million TANF allocation for Rx Kids, the nation’s first community-wide maternal and infant cash prescription program. Rx Kids is associated with earlier prenatal care, improved birth outcomes, and reduced involvement with child protective services. Improved birth outcomes in Flint alone are saving approximately $6 million per year in health care costs, and the program returns between 60 cents and $3 to the state economy for every dollar invested.
“Michigan families are doing everything right, working hard, seeking out quality care, trying to give their children the best possible start – but they can’t do it alone, and right now, our state’s early childhood system is under enormous strain. Child care is workforce infrastructure. Home visiting is health care. Early intervention is education. When we fund these, we aren’t just helping families today, we are building the Michigan economy of tomorrow,” Guevara added.
Research consistently shows that high-quality early childhood programs return up to $13 for every dollar invested, through a stronger workforce, better educational outcomes, reduced crime, and lower long-term health costs. Funding the earliest years is one of the most fiscally responsible decisions Michigan lawmakers can make, especially in a tight budget year.
To learn more about Michigan’s early childhood landscape, visit ecic4kids.org.
