×

Our kids are 100% of our future

Our Kids Count in Michigan project director, Kelsey Perdue, who you heard from in The Alpena News a few weeks ago, has a saying that has been running through my head repeatedly these days: “Kids make up 20% of Michigan’s population and 100% of our future.”

Right now, I’m trying to think a lot about the future, and that means thinking about how Michigan can better serve kids and families. Throughout these challenging days, weeks, and months, our kids continue to show resilience, strength and optimism. They’re being supported by parents, teachers, and caregivers as they navigate an entirely different world, and we at the League are working to make sure the tools and systems they need are in place.

On April 29, we released the new Kids Count in Michigan data profiles, which examine data from 2010 through 2019. Obviously, the COVID-19 crisis will mean massive shifts in reality for everyone, and these profiles can show us where kids were headed before the crisis and how we can help them move forward in these unprecedented times.

A snapshot of Alpena County: Kids are doing well. Fewer kids are living in poverty (22.6%, down from 27% in 2010), more eighth-graders are proficient in math (38.1%, up from 30.7% in 2015), and more students are graduating on time (81.4%, up from 76% in 2010). But there’s more work to be done, and the Kids Count in Michigan project is intent on making sure kids continue to make gains in more areas.

You can see the full data profile for Alpena County, as well as profiles for Alcona, Montmorency, Presque Isle and all other Michigan counties, at mlpp.org/kids-count/2020profiles.

Along with the data, we included a celebration of policy wins and a set of targets for the future. The targets include strategies to:

∫ strengthen communities to support youth development;

∫ increase access and quality of health care so kids can thrive;

∫ meet students’ learning needs;

∫ and remove barriers to help parents support their kids.

As families face an uncertain future, we must do all that we can to protect their well-being through policy work.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has begun doing that with a variety of projects and funds, and we were pleased to see — on the same day our Kids Count data was released — her announcement of a new fund for child care providers.

Child care workers are absolutely essential to our state, especially during this crisis. The Michigan Child Care Relief Fund, by providing a total of $120 million in grants to providers, will make child care more affordable and accessible for families, and allow providers to have the resources to stay safe and stay open when families need them. I hope you will spread the word about this important fund so Michigan’s kids can get the care they need.

Again, we applaud this step in the right direction from the governor. But let’s face it: The COVID-19 crisis is really exposing just how much work needs to be done in Michigan. What we need is a permanent plan to make sure kids, families, and workers are safe, healthy, and strong. And I know we can count on you to help us push for the policies that will keep kids moving forward.

We’re all facing different dilemmas during this time, and my heart goes out to each of you. I know you’re trying to balance a host of emotions, along with your daily responsibilities, and no one is having an easy time of it. But, despite all of the challenges before us, we all need to make it a priority right now to focus on Michigan’s future: our kids.

Gilda Z. Jacobs is president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today