The Michigan League for Public Policy’s (MLPP) 2019 Kids Count in Michigan Data Book is calling for policy solutions to better support Michigan children.

The new report, supported by eight CMF members, details how Michigan children are faring in the areas of economic security, health and safety, family and community, and education. We’re sharing highlights and MLPP’s recommendations for Michigan children.

Data highlights:

• Economic security

  • 19.6 percent of children in Michigan live in poverty.

  • About 23 percent of children live in working households with low incomes who are still struggling due to low wages, unaffordable child care and housing, and a lack of access to training and education programs.

  • Approximately 47 percent of children in immigrant families live in low-income households.

  • While two-thirds of young children have two working parents, child care can consume more than 35 percent of full-time, minimum wage earnings.

• Health and safety

  • 97 percent of Michigan children have health care coverage.

  • More than 32 percent of births are to women who received less than adequate prenatal care due to a lack of access, coverage, transportation and work schedules, among other factors.

  • Women of color are disproportionately impacted and face more barriers to accessing adequate prenatal care.

  • More than 93,000 1- to 2-year-olds have tested positive for possible lead poisoning.

• Family and community

  • The rate of child abuse and neglect has increased by 30 percent from 2012 to 2017, disproportionately affecting children of color.

  • Approximately 58 percent of older foster youth age of out the system.

• Education

  • Nearly 53 percent of Michigan 3- and 4-year-olds are not in preschool.

  • Approximately 56 percent of Michigan third graders tested below proficiency levels in reading.

  • More than 67 percent of eighth graders aren’t proficient in math.

  • 19.8 percent of high school students do not graduate on time.

MLPP shares that the data book, now in its 27^th year, continues to demonstrate how pervasive child poverty is in our state, despite improvements that have been made. The data also shows how children of color are disproportionately impacted.

“Poverty and racial equity may not seem like easy issues to tackle, but just as they were often generated by past public policies, they can be offset by future ones,” Gilda Jacobs, president and CEO of the MLPP said.

Highlights of MLPP’s policy recommendations:

• Expand income eligibility levels for child care subsidies and increase provider reimbursement rates to ensure access to high-quality child care.

• Expand the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) to allow young workers and adults without children to receive the credit.

• Expand home health visitation programs by creating a centralized intake process that will ensure families can participate in the programs.

• Promote comprehensive strategies to prevent child abuse and neglect through investments in job training, child care, parenting education and home visitation programs.

• Provide sufficient funding for early interventions to improve third grade reading using a birth-to-8 framework.

• Ensure all children can receive a high-quality preschool education.

The data book provides comprehensive insights on a state level and local context through a county-by-county breakdown.

Want more?

Check out the full report to see how your county is ranked in the key indicators and issue areas.