The Child Care Licensing Bureau (CCLB) performs state licensing regulatory duties as required by state laws and federal requirements.
Early learning and development program resources for all children, birth to age eight, especially those in highest need.
The MI Tri-Share Child Care Program is an innovative approach to increasing access to high-quality, affordable child care for working families while also helping employers retain talent and remove one major barrier to employment.
Michigan is one of 20 states selected by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to receive the PDG B-5 renewal grant.
The PreK for All Initiative helps Michigan families save money while preparing the state’s youngest learners for kindergarten.
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August 15, 2025
Results for America study spotlights Michigan’s private-public cost-sharing model as a leading approach for expanding access to affordable, high-quality child care for working families
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) today announced the publication of a national case study by Results for America recognizing the MI Tri-Share Child Care program as an innovative, effective solution for expanding access to affordable child care. The study highlights MI Tri-Share as a promising, scalable approach for states seeking to address child care challenges through innovative and sustainable private-public partnerships.
“The MI Tri-Share program is proof of what’s possible when we bring bipartisan commitment and cross-sector collaboration together to solve real challenges for families,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “This new case study affirms what we already know – MI Tri-Share works. By making child care more affordable, we’re helping parents stay in the workforce, supporting employers in retaining talent, and giving Michigan’s children the strong start they deserve.”
Launched as a pilot in 2021 by Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Women’s Commission (MWC), MI Tri-Share was the first program of its kind in the nation, splitting the cost of licensed child care equally between the state, participating employers, and eligible employees. Since then, it has gained national recognition and inspired similar models in states such as Kentucky and North Carolina, with more than two dozen other states, counties and municipalities exploring or developing their own versions.
“When surveyed by the Women’s Commission, Michigan women identified affordable, accessible child care as a top priority for achieving economic security,” said Cheryl Bergman, executive director of the MWC. “In 2021, at Governor Whitmer’s request, we piloted the MI Tri-Share Child Care Program and today, we are proud that MI Tri-Share is available to employers throughout the state and is making child care affordable for more working families."
The newly-published case study, featured in Results for America’s Economic Mobility Catalog, examines how MI Tri-Share was designed and implemented to address workforce instability, challenges for working parents, and economic losses linked to child care barriers, all of which were intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic. It highlights the program’s measurable results, bipartisan support, and potential as a replicable model for even more states.
“MI Tri-Share represents a massive step forward in how state and local governments can enhance child care accessibility for their residents,” said Ross Tilchin, director of Economic Mobility at Results for America. “The ways in which MI Tri-Share was developed and refined are emblematic of many best practices in evidence-based policymaking. As the case study describes, MI Tri-Share was initially cultivated by a set of cross-sector stakeholders in the West Michigan area, supported by a bipartisan group of state lawmakers, piloted in three diverse regions across the state, then refined in ways that enabled it to serve families across the entire state of Michigan. Consistent, rigorous evaluations have demonstrated its effectiveness time and again, leading to increases in public investment and the number of families it is able to serve.”
Now administered by MiLEAP, MI Tri-Share has grown into a cornerstone of the state’s child care strategy, helping working families remain in the workforce while ensuring children receive quality care. The program uses Regional Facilitator Hubs to recruit local employers into the program. In 2024, MiLEAP established a statewide administrative partner, the United Way of Northwest Michigan, to systematize the collection of provider payments, standardize employee eligibility determinations, and centralize program data.
Eligibility for the program was recently expanded to include households earning up to 400% of the Federal Poverty Level, allowing more families to benefit. To participate, an eligible employee must work for a participating employer, meet the household income threshold, and choose a licensed Michigan child care provider.
“Behind every data point is a parent who can keep their job, a child thriving in quality care, a provider able to sustain their business, and an employer who can attract and retain the talent they need,” said Shannon Garrett, MI Tri-Share senior program advisor at MiLEAP. “That’s the true impact of MI Tri-Share and seeing it reach more families each year is what makes this work so meaningful.”
More than 260 Michigan employers are currently participating in MI Tri-Share, serving over 800 families and over 1,000 children statewide, resulting in total family savings of over $10.2 million in child care costs since the start of the program.
For more information about MI Tri-Share and how to participate, visit MiLEAP’s Office of Early Education webpage.
About MiLEAP:
Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from birth 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.
About MWC:
Established in 1968, the Michigan Women’s Commission (MWC) is charged with surveying the women of Michigan, identifying the challenges they face, recommending policies to address those challenges, and recognizing the achievements of Michigan women. The MWC is currently focusing on health, wealth and leadership and this report addresses economic security and wealth generation for women. To learn more, visit Michigan.gov/MWC.
About Results for America:
Results for America is a national, non-partisan, nonprofit organization that helps governments harness the power of evidence and data to fund solutions that accelerate economic mobility and improve lives. The Economic Mobility Catalog is a free, digital resource that helps state and local leaders identify and implement evidence-based strategies that advance economic opportunity.Media Contact:
