A Michigan child care provider received $1.1M in taxpayer funds but may not be there
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Michigan lawmakers are investigating a child care provider that received more than $1.1 million in taxpayer-funded child care reimbursements despite allegedly not appearing to operate from its listed address.
The investigation focused on 1st Premier Learning Academy & Daycare in Clinton Township and was initiated by the Michigan House Oversight Committee on State & Local Public Assistance Programs.
According to the investigative report, the center received $1,121,641 in Child Development & Care (CDC) program reimbursements between fiscal years 2023 and 2026, yet committee staff said repeated site visits found no evidence that children were being cared for at the advertised facility.
The center is listed at 39781 Garfield Road in Clinton Township, but investigators say that address is for Kidz in Motion Early Learning Institute, a preschool whose state license is listed as closed.
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Michigan lawmakers are investigating whether a child care provider who received more than $1.1 million in taxpayer-funded reimbursements was operating from her listed address. (Michigan House Oversight Subcommittee)
Investigators also said they were unable to obtain a valid daycare license for 1st Premier Learning Academy & Daycare.
The committee’s staff said that they tried to contact the kindergartens during the advertised business hours but could not find anyone, all calls ended up being answered.
During the June 12 visit, committee staff reported finding the building locked even though it was open during advertised business hours. Detectives said the lights were on inside but no employees or children were seen.
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Lawmakers said the outdoor playground appeared to be unused during the June visit. (Michigan House Oversight Subcommittee)
A nearby business tenant told investigators they had never seen children in the area, although they occasionally reported seeing construction work.
Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Jason Woolford visited in person on June 15. According to the report, no one answered the front door despite repeated knocks.
Investigators say Woolford found an outdoor playground with a fenced-in asphalt area with grass growing on the pavement, an old playground pushed into the building and chairs stacked outside covered in rainwater.
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The committee’s investigators said there was no evidence that the children were cared for at the address of the daycare listed on the multi-site visit list. (Michigan House Oversight Subcommittee)
The report also said the back door was unlocked, but no one responded after Woolford went inside.
Workers at a neighboring restaurant told Woolford they had never seen children enter the facility.
According to the committee, Premier Early Childhood Education Partners LLC is a Chicago-based company that owns and operates chartered child care centers in Michigan.
The report says one of those entities, Premier MI Network Clinton Twp, did business as 1st Premier Learning Academy & Daycare and received about $1.12 million in CDC reimbursements between fiscal years 2023 and 2026.
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The investigative committee said its investigation is ongoing, and no criminal charges have been announced.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Premier Early Childhood Education Partners for comment.
