NOVI, Mich. (WXYZ) — A Novi childcare provider is advocating for changes to city ordinances that would allow her to expand capacity and address the growing demand for childcare services in Michigan.
Currently, 56 percent of Michigan four-year-olds are enrolled in pre-K, with the state aiming to reach 75 percent by 2027.
Angie Altaii, owner of Little Seeds Childcare and mother of almost two children, opened her centers with a nature-focused approach after identifying an unmet need in the community.
"I really wanted a safe place where I felt comfortable sending my own children," Altaii said.
Her childcare center currently has approximately 20-25 families on the waitlist, with growing interest partly due to the expansion of Michigan's free preschool program.
"That's almost two full classes of infants that are waiting," Altaii said. "The demand has really grown for four-year-olds, but we still have the need for infants because a lot of programs, as they expand their four-year-old programs, don't have enough space to accommodate infants."
This shortage is a reality for many parents across the state who are struggling to find childcare options.
Lo Steele, a parent, waited two years to get her daughter into Little Seeds.
"It's very, very real. There's a long wait list at a lot of places and I know other families who are expecting kids are they still have 8-9 month wait list and their kids aren't even here yet," Steele said.
Altaii's solution has been to advocate to city leaders about expanding capacity in her residential area so she can renovate the extra space they already have. The house adjacent to the center will be turned into an infant space as they add another pre-k class.
"I wasn't trying to be an advocate necessarily, it's just we have the need, we have the capacity to fill the need, so let's do that," she said.
The ordinance change is progressing through the approval process, recently receiving unanimous approval at its first reading, with a second reading planned for next week.
Mayor Pro-Tem Laura Marie Casey says if approved, the change would impact 14 parcels of land across town and would allow the number of enrolled children at new or existing centers to increase from 50 to 75.
"This is an example of where a business identified a need, brought the need to the city, and the city was able to respond and be very flexible in terms of how we move through the process, balancing the needs of both businesses and community members," Casey said.
For Altaii, it's been a lengthy process that she hopes will conclude in time for the new school year.
"We're coming up on the one-year anniversary of trying to get this problem solved, and we still have a ways to go," she said.
While not a complete solution to the childcare shortage, this initiative represents progress for Altaii.
"A whole classroom of families that otherwise may not have an option," Altaii said.
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