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 Preschool Development B-5 renewal grant (PDG).
The PreK for All Initiative helps Michigan families save money while preparing the state’s youngest learners for kindergarten.
The Office of Education Partnerships at MiLEAP oversees both the Governor’s Educator Advisory Council and the Michigan PreK-12 Literacy Commission.
The Office of Family Partnerships coordinates and aligns a statewide system of family-school-community partnerships in support of positive developmental, health and academic outcomes, ensuring every learner in Michigan thrives.
Resources for Michigan’s Out-of-School Time programs and providers.
The Office of Higher Education at MiLEAP convened a 15-member task force to examine how basic needs insecurity affects college students across Michigan. Their goal is to identify effective interventions and recommend policy changes that remove financial barriers to education.
The Michigan Legislature tasked MiLEAP’s Office of Higher Education (OHE) with partnering statewide to improve student transfer and credit acceptance. Through its Transfer Success Project, OHE advances student-centered outcomes using evidence-based strategies and meaningful cross-sector collaboration.
The Universal FAFSA Challenge supports districts in adopting a local universal FAFSA policy and implementing FAFSA completion support in their high schools and local communities.
By 2030, 60% of working-age Michiganders will have a certificate or college degree. Michigan will be a talent leader — fueling the future workforce and providing opportunity for all.
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
November 04, 2025
Initiative Provides Monthly Stipends to Teachers, Supports Regional Efforts to Address Workforce Challenges and Build a Stronger Early Childhood System
LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP) and the Gogebic-Ontonagon Intermediate School District (GOISD) today announced the launch of the $16 million Early Childhood Educator Wage Initiative. The initiative will provide monthly stipends – $200 for part-time and $300 for full-time teachers and assistant teachers – while supporting regional efforts to address workforce challenges and strengthen long-term wage stability for early educators.
“Michigan’s youngest learners benefit most when supported by skilled, stable and fairly compensated educators,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “Through the Wage Initiative, we’re investing directly in the people who power early learning and helping to build a stronger, more sustainable system where every early educator can have a lasting and rewarding career here in Michigan.”
Administered by MiLEAP and GOISD, with technical support provided by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), the wage initiative will be carried out by Michigan’s 10 Regional Child Care Coalitions, with each participating region eligible to receive up to $1.6 million, depending on its ability to raise matching funds. The pilot is designed to encourage coalitions to leverage additional public-private contributions that support sustainable, increased compensation for early childhood educators across Michigan.
"Access to high-quality early childhood education depends on the strength and stability of the educators who make it possible,” said Alan Tulppo, GOISD superintendent. “This initiative represents an important investment in Michigan’s future by supporting the dedicated professionals who nurture our youngest learners. When we strengthen the early childhood workforce, every community in our state benefits, today and for generations to come."
To date, eight of the state’s 10 Regional Child Care Coalitions have successfully submitted applications and been recommended for funding approval, with the remaining two applications expected in November. Funding recommendations reflect the match amount secured by each region at the time of application.
Recommended Grantee Awards:
|
Organization |
Recommended Award |
|---|---|
|
4 C of the Upper Peninsula (Region 1) |
$570,715.00 (up to $1.6M) |
|
NW Michigan Council of Gov/Networks NW (Region 2) |
$1.6M |
|
Develop Iosco (Region 3) |
$685,581.00 (up to $1.6M) |
|
Vibrant Futures (Region 4) |
$1.6M |
|
Middle Michigan Development Corp (Region 5) |
$1.6M |
|
Child Care Network (Region 6) |
$1,030,184.33 (up to $1.6M) |
|
W.E. Upjohn Institute Unemployment Trustee Corporation (Region 8) |
$1.6M |
|
Child Care Network (Region 9) |
$1,065,179.00 (up to $1.6M) |
Regions that have not yet reached the maximum award remain eligible for the full $1.6 million and have the ability to continue raising match and in-kind funding by February 2026.
This effort is part of MiLEAP’s broader strategy to support Michigan’s early learning system by addressing key barriers such as low compensation, limited career pathways, and high turnover that affect the quality and consistency of early learning experiences nationally. By investing directly in early childhood educators and building public-private partnerships, Michigan is strengthening its child care system, supporting families and securing the foundation of our state’s future workforce.
“This initiative addresses one of the most persistent challenges in early education, low wages that make it difficult to attract and retain skilled educators,” said Emily Laidlaw, deputy director overseeing MiLEAP’s Office of Early Childhood Education. By bringing together state resources and local partnerships, we’re strengthening our early learning workforce and supporting the communities they serve.”
The wages initiative will run through September 2027, with grantees responsible for recruiting child care businesses and professionals in their region, distributing funds to eligible early childhood educators, collecting data for evaluation, and supporting continuous quality improvement at the local level.
To learn more about MiLEAP’s work to strengthen Michigan’s early childhood workforce and support families across the state, visit the MiLEAP 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/MiLEAPMedia Contact:
