If children are our future, Michigan's future is in doubt.
New U.S. Census population estimates show that in 2007 Michigan had 39,000 fewer children under the age of 5 than it did in 2000.
In terms of percentage of decline -- 5.8 percent -- that puts this state second to Louisiana, which has lost 6.1 percent of its preschoolers. In sheer numbers, Michigan's loss of preschoolers is second only to that of New York state.
Some of the reason is demographic. Michigan's population is aging, which means fewer women of childbearing age.
But a bigger reason is that the exodus of families in search of jobs is taking Michigan's youngest residents with them. Census estimates show that the number of 25- to 44-year-olds has plunged by 268,382 between 2000 and 2007.
In the past, we've pointed out that many young adults get their college degrees in Michigan, but some of them are forced to move away because there aren't any jobs here for them.
The current employment situation in Michigan could have an impact on the state for years to come, if only in terms of a future generation of students and workers whose skills and talents are now being dispersed to other states.
It appears that the Kalamazoo area may have found the formula for stemming the exodus, and perhaps soon will be drawing more families to this area.
Simply put, it's all about job creation.
The announcements by a number of companies that they would increase employment here with thousands of new jobs has buoyed the area with optimism.
Meanwhile, The Kalamazoo Promise, Kalamazoo Public Schools' college tuition guarantee, has attracted 1,000 new students to the district the first year alone.
Does that mean the Kalamazoo area will be able to buck the population decline trend -- especially among children and young adults -- that afflicts the state as a whole?
It's hard to say. But we encourage the rest of the state to take a page from the playbook here. It certainly seems to be working.
Besides, the state has nothing to lose -- except a lot of young people.
-- Kalamazoo Gazette
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