MyLEAP outlines FY2026 budget priorities: pre-K expansion, childcare changes and higher-education grants

Dr. Beverly Walker Grafia, director of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement and Potential (MyLEAP), told the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Higher Education and Community Colleges that MyLEAP's FY2026 executive budget recommendation keeps prior commitments while adding targeted investments to expand early education and strengthen postsecondary supports.

"MyLeap was established in 2023 by governor Whitmer to align state resources to ensure that every Michigander has the lifelong educational opportunities they need to achieve their goals and thrive," Grafia said. She and deputy director for early education Emily Laidlaw described program outcomes, recent enrollment gains and proposed budget amounts.

Grafia said the executive recommendation continues $676,100,000 for pre-K through the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), including a $392 per-child increase that brings the per-student allocation to $10,577. The proposal also includes: $28,000,000 for student transportation, $25,000,000 in startup grants to attract new providers, $28,400,000 for EarlyON Michigan (early intervention/support for infants and toddlers with developmental delays), and $63,000,000 in state funding for the child development and care scholarship (maintaining a 15% reimbursement increase implemented this year).

Two new investments in early education were highlighted: $61,000,000 to expand the Strong Beginnings pilot to increase pre-K access for 3-year-olds (the department said 28 Strong Beginnings programs currently serve 392 children in 10 ISDs and that the investment would expand the program to serve 4,003-year-olds in 100 classrooms by 2029) and $50,000,000 to meet new federal requirements for the child development and care scholarship by shifting payments to providers prospectively.

On affordability and employer partnerships, Grafia described the TriShare program, which she said helps lower childcare costs for families by splitting costs among the state, employers and employees; she said TriShare currently serves 750 families and more than 1,100 children. Grafia also said participation in the childcare scholarship for working families has grown by 19,500 children since 2021.

In higher education, Grafia said Michigan has made progress toward the state's 60 by 2030 credential goal (citing a rise to 51.8% of adults with a postsecondary credential) and described proposals to increase support for students. The executive recommendation would add $350,000,000 to the Michigan Achievement Scholarship (a $50,000,000 increase); the department also proposed codifying the Michigan Achievement Scholarship statute into law. The budget would add $15,000,000 (one-time) to the college success fund for competitive grants to public and private four-year institutions, tribal colleges and community colleges. Grafia said nearly 60,000 students are receiving the Michigan Achievement Scholarship so far this year and that the scholarship program saved families an estimated $252,300,000 in tuition statewide.

Grafia said MyLEAP is funded from the General Fund, School Aid Fund and federal dollars, with proposed increases in school aid and general fund dollars while federal funding remains roughly consistent with the prior year. She identified partnerships across state government (including the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, LEO, MDE, MDHHS, LARA and DTMB) and external partners such as early educators, K'12 schools, public and private four-year institutions, tribal colleges and community colleges.

During questioning, Representative Ralph sought clarification about childcare licensing. Emily Laidlaw and Grafia said childcare licensing was transferred from the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) to MyLEAP when the department was established and that enforcement and licensure now fall under MyLEAP. Representative Long John asked about the relationship between licensure and the QRIS (Quality Rating and Improvement System); Grafia replied that QRIS sits alongside licensure ("Licensure is sort of the base health and safety, and then quality remains") and that QRIS continues to operate to increase quality across the state's child care providers.

Other budget specifics Grafia cited: continued funding of $50,000,000 for competitive out-of-school-time grants (with $371,000 to administer the program); a per-child GSRP increase of $392; and a proposed codification of the Michigan Achievement Scholarship statute. Grafia said one administration change in the recommendation converts previously limited-term staff positions to ongoing authorization (non-cost FTE authorization changes).

Representative Roth asked whether private institutions are included in the increased Michigan Achievement Scholarship funding; Laura Hall, MyLEAP's director of policy communications and engagement, said the scholarship inclusion applies to both private and public institutions and that the department would follow up with written clarification for the committee. Roth also asked for more detail about the $10,000,000 for FAFSA incentives; Grafia described outreach approaches including early FAFSA completion campaigns, district pilots and incentives that the department has used to encourage timely FAFSA filing.

No formal vote related to the MyLEAP presentation was taken. Earlier in the meeting Representative Roth moved to accept the minutes from April 30; the motion was made without objection and the chair ordered the minutes accepted.

Grafia closed by noting MyLEAP's data dashboards and the myschooldata website as resources for district-level impact reports and contact information for legislative offices.