The Michigan Early Childhood Budget Tracker was last updated October 13, 2025 to reflect the final FY26 state budget. A PDF download of this information is available here.
Understanding the Budget Tracker:
Each column represents an independent proposal put forth by the body indicated on the heading. After the Governor, Senate, and House each release their own proposals (columns A-C), the Senate and House work together to iron out the differences (column D).
- Executive Recommendation: the Governor’s budget proposal
- Senate: the Senate’s budget proposal
- House: the House of Representatives’ budget proposal
- Passed by the Legislature: the final proposal put forth by the Senate and House after their negotiations – this version will be sent to the Governor’s desk for signature (where she can line-item veto)
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Child Care
Executive Recommendation As Passed by the Senate As Passed by the House Final Budget
$50 million (GF/GP) to fulfill federal requirements by implementing prospective payments for providers participating in the scholarship program and remaining funds for contract services to improve child care access for infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, and those in underserved geographic areas. $40 million (GF/GP) to fulfill federal requirements by implementing prospective payments for providers participating in the scholarship program and remaining funds for contract services to improve child care access for infants and toddlers, children with disabilities, and those in underserved geographic areas. Not included. $3.5 million (GF/GP) of one-time funding to intitiate shift to prospective payments for providers participating in the scholarship program. No funding included for begin implementation of contracted services for child care.
No increase to provider CDC scholarship reimbursement rates. Additional $23 million to increase provider CDC scholarship reimbursement rates. Concurs with Executive but deletes language allowing MiLEAP to use federal funds at risk of lapsing and changes notification on increasing hourly reimburusement rate from the state budget director to chairs of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees. Concurs with Governor.
Cuts funding in half to $1.5 million for the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program. $3 million continued funding for the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation program. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor.
Not included. Not included. Reduces MiLEAP funding by $5.5 million to remove 28 FTE positions in the Department, including in child care licensing and regulation. Reduces MiLEAP funding by $250,000 to remove 5 FTE positions in child care licensing and regulation.
New benefit program for National Guard members that includes $2.3 million to provide child care for an estimated 700 children of MI's National Guard. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor.
Continued funding for TriShare Child Care Program ($3.4 million). Allows funding for new Tri-Share Hubs provided sufficient funding to support existing Hubs; New Hubs required to increase participating counties or serve statewide employers; MiLEAP must set benchmarks for the hubs to receive funding. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor and adds language allowing funds to be used for families living in Wisconsin but employed in Michigan. Concurs with Governor and House.
Not included. New appropriation of $4 million for grants to Head Start providers seeking to expand services into child care. Not included. Not included.
Not included. Not included. Adds language restricting MiLEAP from using any funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. Not included.
Great Start Collaboratives & Great Start Family Coalitions
Executive Recommendation As passed by the Senate As passed by the House Final Budget
Maintains funding for the Early Childhood Block Grant, which funds Great Start Collaboratives and Family Coalitions, home visiting, and improving access to books and other literacy materials for ISDs at $19.4 million. Maintains funding but doesn't specify that $4 million be used specifically for improving access to books and other literacy materials. Consolidates funding streams for 32p (Great Start Collaboratives, Family Coalitions, and home visiting) with other budget items into a single line item, 22f, that goes directly to ISDs as a per pupil allocation with no requirements on how funds are spent for early childhood purposes. Eliminates all funding ($19.4 million) for the Early Childhood Block Grant, which includes Great Start Collaboratives and Family Coalitions, home visiting, and improving access to books and other literacy materials.
GSRP – Sections 32d & 39
Executive Recommendation As Passed by the Senate As Passed by the House Final Budget
$649.1 million Gross ($350,000 GF/GP) to provide universal PreK through the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), for all 4-year-olds, including:
• Increase to the per child allocation from $10,185 to $10,577.
• Increase extended GSRP option (36 weeks x 5 days/week) from $12,222 to $12,692.
• Part-day options increase from $5,093 to $5,288.50.
• Extended blended programs increase from $6,111 to $6,346.$653.4 million Gross ($600,000 GF/GP) to provide universal PreK through the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), for all 4-year-olds, including:
• Increase to the per child allocation to $10,608.
• Increase to extended GSRP option to $12,730.
• Part-day options increased to $5,304.
• Extended blended programs increased to $6,365.$588.1 million Gross ($350,000 GF/GP) to provide PreK through the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), for 4-year-olds and maintains FY2025 per pupil allocations. $656.6 million Gross to provide universal PreK through the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), for all 4-year-olds, including:
• Increase to the per child allocation to $10,650.
• Increase to extended GSRP option to $12,780.
• Part-day options increased to $5,325.
• Extended blended programs increased to $6,390.
Removes the 400% of FPL ($110,000 for a family of four) income cap. MiLEAP to determine a process for ensuring that low-income children and children with other risk factors are prioritized in enrollment. Concurs with Governor. Maintains 400% income cap. Concurs with Governor.
Maintains requirement for ISDs to contract at least 30 percent of their allocation to community-based providers. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor.
Maintains $28 million for transportation costs. Adds language requiring MiLEAP to develop parameters to provide reimbursement for parent or guardian provided transportation. Concurs with Governor. Maintains funding at $28 million but provides ISD with reimbursement authority for parent or guardian-provided transportation. Concurs with Governor.
$25 million to continue start up and expansion grants. Adds language to include costs for licensing and facility costs. Concurs with Governor. Eliminates GSRP start up and expansion grants. $10 million to continue start up and expansion grants. Adds new language to include some facility costs like modular classroom units, facility permits, prelicensure inspection fees, etc.; and requires GSRP instructional staff to have completed or be completing professional learning in the science of reading.
Continues $1.95 million for outreach and enrollment and adds new language to develop a common enrollment and subrecipient agreement form. Concurs with Governor. Maintains $1.95 million to support outreach and enrollment but doesn't specifiy development of common enrollment. Conference removes $1.95 million; eliminates outreach and enrollement funding.
$61 million over 5 years to expand the 3-year-old GSRP preschool pilot program, known as Strong Beginnings through Clinton County RESA, to serve nearly 4,000 children. $30 million over 2 years to expand the 3-year-old GSRP preschool pilot program, known as Strong Beginnings Not included. $25 milion over 2 years to expand the 3-year-old GSRP preschool pilot program, known as Strong Beginnings.
Maintains funding for universal free breakfast and lunch for PreK-12 students. Concurs with Governor. Eliminates this section and moves funding under per-pupil payments (Sec. 22f) with no requirements that funds be used for school meals. Concurs with Governor.
Early Identification & Intervention (Early On) – Section 54d
Executive Recommendation As Passed by the Senate As Passed by the House Final Budget
Increases by $4.7 million for a total of $28.4 million. Increases by $994,200 for a total of $24.6 million. Maintains current year appropriation. Concurs with House.
Maternal & Child Health
Executive Recommendation As passed by the Senate As passed by the House Final Budget
Includes $400,000 for the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) to study the expansion of continuous Medicaid coverage for children under age 6. Included $100 placeholder for MDHHS to study the expansion of continuous Medicaid coverage for children under age 6. Not included. Not included.
Maintains $5 million for local collaboratives to improve and coordinate maternal and infant health as a part of the perinatal quality collaborative. Concurs with Governor. House removes $5 million; eliminates Perinatal Quality Collaboratives. Concurs with Governor.
Maintains $10 million to support hospital improvements in maternal safety and outcomes; including focusing on pregnancy-associated injury and death, racial disparities, and substance use disorder. Concurs with Governor. House removes $10 million; eliminates hospital improvements in maternal safety and outcomes. Concurs with Governor.
Maintains funding for CenteringPregnancy at $5 million. Concurs with Governor. House removes $5 million; eliminates CenteringPregnancy. Concurs with Governor.
Maintains $2.75 million for rural home visiting program. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor. Concurs with Governor.
Not included. Not included. Adds language restricting MDHHS from using any funds on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Not included.
Not included. Not included. House requires implementation of the federal work requirements for Healthy Michigan Plan eligibility by January 2026. Not included.
Maintains $500,000 to provide car seats for newborns who are TANF eligible. Concurs with Governor. House removes $500,000 to provide car seats for newborns who are TANF eligible. Concurs with Governor.
Economic Security
Executive Recommendation As passed by the Senate As passed by the House Final Budget
Maintains funding for Prenatal and Infant Cash Support Program "Rx Kids" at $20 million. Increases funding to expand Prenatal and Infant Support Program "Rx Kids" to $78 million. House removes $20 million; eliminates Rx Kids program. Maintains current $20 million TANF appropriation, plus an additional $250 million in FY25 supplemental funds.
Apprenticeships
| Executive Recommendation | As passed by the Senate | As passed by the House | Final Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provides a new $19 million investment to Expand Access to Registered Apprenticeships to strengthen Michigan’s talent pool and ensure students and job seekers gain in-demand skills, while also providing employers with the talent they need to grow their businesses. This funding will expand opportunities in traditional and non-traditional industries while offering training, wages, and credentials to employees. | Provides $5 million for a new statewide apprenticeship expansion. | Not included. | Not included. |