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 Rachel Crowther, Democratic candidate for Michigan House District 90.
What do you see as the most pressing early childhood challenge facing the district or communities you seek to represent?
The most pressing early childhood challenge facing our district is access to affordable, high-quality childcare especially in our rural communities. Families should not have to choose between working, paying their bills, and giving their children a strong start. I believe Michigan must invest in both families and the childcare workforce, expand support for home-based and rural providers.
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?
We need to make it easier for qualified people to become licensed childcare providers, especially home-based providers in rural communities, and provide grants or low-cost assistance for the startup costs of opening or expanding care. We should also expand employer partnerships like Tri-Share to help make care more affordable for working families.
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?
I support expanding programs like MI Tri-Share, which splits the cost among the state, an employer, and the employee and has reduced participating families’ childcare costs by about 66%.
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?
We should leverage employers and regional partnerships to help provide benefits and wage supports, expand apprenticeship and credential programs that allow educators to earn while they learn, and make it easier for small and home-based providers to access affordable health and retirement benefits.
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?
For rural communities, I would also prioritize targeted investments that help home-based providers start and remain sustainable, rather than creating expensive new infrastructure. Michigan is already using this approach to expand home-based childcare capacity.
If you were setting priorities within a constrained early childhood budget, what would you prioritize first, and why?
I would focus limited dollars on expanding the supply of providers especially home-based providers and helping existing providers remain open and financially sustainable.
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?
Medicaid is a lifeline for many mothers and babies, and I would work to protect access to coverage and push back against cuts that could leave families without the care they need.
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?
Programs like home visiting and infant mental health consultation give parents support early, help strengthen the parent-child relationship, and connect families to resources before challenges become emergencies. Michigan already has programs like the Maternal Infant Health Program that we can build on. I would support exploring funding increases to existing programs after proof they are working.
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?
I also believe we should be thoughtful about how we invest taxpayer dollars. Michigan should continue to maximize federal IDEA funding, measure outcomes, and make sure resources reach families and providers especially in rural communities where access to specialists can be more difficult.
If elected, how would you gather input from parents, caregivers, and early childhood professionals in your district when making decisions that affect them?
If elected, I would regularly host local forums and listening sessions with parents, caregivers, and early childhood professionals throughout the district, including our rural communities.
I would also work to build a local coalition of parents, childcare providers, small businesses, healthcare professionals, schools, and community organizations so we can identify gaps and advocate for practical solutions together.
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 believe every child deserves a strong start, and every parent deserves the support they need to give their child that start. Both of my children attended a daycare/preschool and I am grateful to have been able to afford it despite it not always being what I wanted to spend money on and also for the ability to have an award-winning career in hospitality as a result of childcare in my community. I take none of that for granted when thinking about the future of childcare in our communities.
Are there early childhood issues you believe are being overlooked in the current policy conversation in Michigan?
I would like to see more focus on bringing services closer to families through home-based care, mobile services, virtual consultation, and partnerships with local schools, healthcare providers, and community organizations