LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — Michigan’s ambitious push for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “free” preschool is running into a surprising roadblock: not enough four-year-olds.
It’s a numbers game.
Now in its second year, the universal preschool initiative boasts a $605 million budget and no income restrictions, yet the state remains 14,000 students short of its goal to enroll 59,000 children for the 2024-25 school year, according to The Detroit News.
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Officials report 45,000 children are currently enrolled—the highest number in a decade—but critics question whether the demand justifies the investment.
“This is simple economics,” Molly Macek, director of education policy at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said. “They have increased the supply without there being an increased demand. Unfortunately, taxpayers dollars have gone toward this program.”
Some lawmakers are skeptical.
The program, administered by the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP), offers families up to $10,000 in annual childcare savings and aims to provide children with an academic head start.
Yet some lawmakers, like Republican State Sen. Mark Huizenga (R-Walker) remain unconvinced.
“If we don’t have a need for it, do we need to spend taxpayer money on it?” Huizenga said.
Specifically, enrollment gaps persist in Wayne and Oakland counties, with thousands of seats unfilled ahead of the February 19 deadline.
“The questions we have to ask is: Where is the growth coming from? And what is the income level of their parents?” State Sen. Thomas Albert (R-Lowell) said. “My concern is we are not seeing growth in underserved areas.”
Rolling out the grant money.
To address issues like outreach, teacher shortages, and classroom space, the state has allocated $39 million in grants to expand capacity and recruit staff.
Gov. Whitmer, who fast-tracked the program last year, has framed it as an essential investment in Michigan’s future. Whether families embrace the program in greater numbers remains to be seen.
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