The Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC) and the Think Babies Michigan coalition are gathering information from candidates seeking public office in Michigan about their perspectives on early childhood policy. Our goal is education, not endorsement. ECIC does not endorse, oppose, or rate candidates for public office.
We are collecting responses so that families, early childhood service providers, and community members across Michigan can better understand how candidates think about the needs of children from birth through age five and the families and professionals who care for them. Responses from candidates are published as received, without editing or commentary. Candidates have agreed that their responses may be reproduced and attributed to them in ECIC and Think Babies Michigan communications, including newsletters, social media, websites, and materials shared with coalition partners.
The following responses are from Serenity Hope Salak, Democratic candidate for Michigan House of Representatives District 93.
What do you see as the most pressing early childhood challenge facing the district or communities you seek to represent?
Lack of access to affordable, high-quality child care.
Michigan families in many parts of the state live in areas with far fewer licensed child care slots than there are children who need them, and the shortage is most severe for infants and toddlers. What is your view of this issue, and what approaches would you consider if elected?
Hire caretakers, train them, pay them a living wage, give them paid time off. Expand child day care program vouchers administered by the State–eliminate means testing for the program. Expand Pre-K for all to 3 year olds. Change the way we fund schools so that we can build up before and after school programs in every school, in every neighborhood so every child has a place to go when parents are at work.
What is your perspective on the cost of child care for Michigan families, and on the tools available to state or federal policymakers to address affordability?
Child care is too high. Married couples are limiting the number of children they have based on child care costs alone. Child care cost us more than our house payment.
Child care is economic infrastructure and should be treated as such. We should be building and refining this infrastructure so that it works for working families.
The State should subsidized child care in predictable and impactful ways so that families can thrive.
We can eliminate income limits on day care programs. The application alone is enough of a deterrent to keep “free-loaders” off of the roles. Filling out the application alone is a task.
We can expand before and after school programs by setting aside funding to pay staff and buy materials for clubs and playgroups that are cost-free to families.
We can fund these programs by raising the corporate interest rate a single percent and then using those funds to bankroll school bonds (currently guaranteed by banks and private investors). The interest collected in bankrolling the school bonds would provide a perpetual flow of funding and thereby making updating educational infrastructure more affordable for schools and tax-payers.
Early childhood educators are among the lowest paid workers in Michigan, and turnover in the field is high. How do you think about compensation, benefits, and working conditions in this profession?
Hire caretakers and train them. Pay caretakers a living wage, give them paid time off and help planning for retirement. Organize caretakers into labor unions.
Michigan has dedicated funding for many critical services, but nothing specifically focused on the needs of families with young children. Advocates have proposed a dedicated, sustainable state revenue stream for early childhood, separate from the annual general fund appropriations process. What is your perspective on that idea?
I am open to the idea. I would like to hear more.
If you were setting priorities within a constrained early childhood budget, what would you prioritize first, and why?
Child care subsidies and recruitment/retention of child care workers.
Michigan has made significant strides to promote maternal and infant health, though federal policy changes put many of these programs at risk. How would you work to preserve and expand access to important programs that promote maternal and infant health including Medicaid?
Pass Medicare For All legislation at the State-level or rally around passing it at the National level. It’s first past the finish line at this point.
Think Babies supports more funding for programs that support nurturing relationships and well-being for babies and caregivers — like home visiting, consultation, and intervention services —to help address and prevent stress and trauma before they become a crisis. How familiar are you with these kinds of programs, and would you support increased funding for them if elected?
Very familiar. I wholeheartedly support the program and it’s mission. My votes on funding it would reflect that.
The Early On Coalition — which is part of Think Babies — has advocated for increased funding to support families with infants and toddlers who have disabilities and developmental delays to make sure they get the individualized early intervention services they are entitled to. What is your perspective on increasing funding for Early On?
As a caseworker with the Michigan Department of Human Services for 11 years, I have seen these programs work literal miracles for the families and children I served. I would wholeheartedly vote to increase Early On funding.
If elected, how would you gather input from parents, caregivers, and early childhood professionals in your district when making decisions that affect them?
Absolutely. I don’t understand anyone who calls themselves a leader but doesn’t seek input from the people directly impacted by their decisions.
Is there anything else you would like Michigan families, early childhood professionals, and advocates to know about your approach to young children and their families?
I love children. Do you know how some folks gravitate towards pets at parties? For me, it’s kids. Kids will tell it to you straight. They’ll tell you if you have food in your teeth or your breath stinks and I love them for that. There is no pretenses and they DO NOT CARE who you are or what your resume looks like. And they ask me my favorite color or dinosaur without fail.
Parents are patriots. Bringing a child into this world in the current state of affairs is an act of faith and grit. Just choosing to be a parent is one of the most self-less things you can do. We need to reward parents for putting in the work. We need to incentivize the behaviors we want to see and remove barriers where they exist.
Are there early childhood issues you believe are being overlooked in the current policy conversation in Michigan?
Expanding existing programs getting us closer to Universal Childcare is my current policy focus. Between passing Universal Healthcare and Universal Childcare legislation, we can eliminate a majority of childhood and infant mortality risks. Once we have both Universal Healthcare and Universal Childcare, it’s my belief that Michigan will be a State that draws families who want to lay down roots. We will be THE PLACE to raise your family.