East Lansing community pushes for quality early learning

EAST LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - Early Thursday morning, law enforcement and other business leaders gathered to emphasize the impact of early learning for infants and toddlers.

Community leaders across the state came together on June 29 to release a new research report called the “child care early educators set Michigan’s young children on the path to success.”

They said that investing in quality child care can strengthen the state’s current and future workforce.

The state lost 637 child care providers during the pandemic and nearly half of residents live in a child care desert.

“Infancy through preschool is the crucial age for brain development, but in so many cases a person cannot afford to be an early childhood educator after getting a college degree,” said Dana Johnson.

The Council for a Strong America released the report after the press conference earlier Thursday morning.

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