LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) announced today that it will hold a public hearing to receive public comments on proposed changes to the Licensing Rules for Child Care Center rule set. The proposed changes set a minimum standard for what child care programs must do to keep children safe, happy, healthy and learning, as MiLEAP and partners across the state work to build a high-quality child care system that is accessible and affordable for all Michigan families. 

“MiLEAP is committed to ensuring families have access to child care options that meet their unique needs and give their children a safe environment where they can grow and learn,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “As we worked on the review and update of the child care center licensing rules, we prioritized changes that helped expand access to child care while maintaining important standards for quality and safety. We thank all of our partners who have shared their expertise and input throughout this process.” 

“The proposed changes streamline the child care licensing rules and reduce barriers for early educators, so they can focus on caring for Michigan children,” said Emily Laidlaw, deputy director of Early Childhood Education at MiLEAP. “Thousands of Michiganders submitted input throughout this process, and we will continue to work with families, child care educators and other partners as we continue our efforts to expand access to high-quality and affordable child care statewide.” 

“We appreciate MiLEAP’s commitment to equity and ensuring voices from across the child care landscape were heard as they undertook these revisions to the child care licensing rules,” said Alicia Guevara Warren, CEO of the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC). “These changes, coupled with investments and initiatives led by MiLEAP, ECIC and other partners, will continue to help us build momentum as we improve the early childhood system for Michigan families.”  

“Intermediate school districts will be better positioned to advance our goals as we work to achieve PreK for All and provide high-quality early education to Michigan’s youngest learners through these revisions to the child care licensing rules," said Dr. John Severson, Executive Director of the Michigan Association of Intermediate School Administrators (MAISA). “Districts will be able to expand the number of children in high-quality PreK programs and also be able to better serve young students with disabilities or individual learning plans. MAISA is committed to continuing its close partnership with MiLEAP to ensure all of Michigan's children are ready for kindergarten." 

The proposed changes to the Licensing Rules for Child Care Center rule set reflect feedback gathered during 63 listening sessions from nearly 600 child care educators, community partners and state partners, as well as survey responses from nearly 1,300 people. The proposed changes:

Protect Health and Safety: The proposal makes the rules clearer and more manageable to keep children safe and support child care educators as they ensure compliance with federal requirements related to health, safety and professional development. The proposal also includes guidance related to food allergy plans and safe drinking water in child care centers to ensure safe and healthy environments for kids. 

Support Child Care Workforce: The proposed changes revise outdated terminology by changing “child care staff member” to “teacher” to more accurately describe early educators’ roles. The rule set also expands the types of experiences educators can use to advance their career opportunities while safely educating and caring for our youngest Michiganders.   

Improve Efficiencies and Flexibilities: The proposed revisions remove significant redundancies and outdated requirements to make meeting health and safety standards easier for child care educators. The proposed revisions also allow needed therapeutic services to be delivered where children are without unnecessary and cumbersome paperwork distracting educators from their core obligation to help the children that need it most.  

Support Innovation: The proposed rule set introduces innovative models of child care by creating standards for small capacity centers and outdoor nature-based child care centers. 

The proposed rules are published on the State of Michigan's Administrative Rules website. The public hearing will be held at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 at the Michigan Library and Historical Center, 1st Floor Forum, 702 W. Kalamazoo Street, Lansing, MI 48915. Comments on these proposed rules may be made at the hearing, by mail, or by e-mailing MiLEAP-CCLB-Help@michigan.gov by 5 p.m. Nov. 22, 2024.

It’s not too late for families to enroll 4-year-olds in FREE high-quality PreK this school year. Visit MIPreKforAll.org to find programs near you that meet your family’s unique needs. To find other child care options, visit the Great Start to Quality website.  

About MiLEAP:
Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from preschool to postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.