This bill proposes appropriations for the Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2026, with a total gross appropriation of $640,469,100. The funding will support various positions, including 275 full-time classified and 6 unclassified roles, and will be allocated across several areas such as departmental administration, information technology, early childhood education, education partnerships, and higher education. The bill emphasizes transparency and accountability by requiring the department to maintain a searchable public website for fiscal year-to-date expenditures and to report on out-of-state travel expenses and policy changes. It also includes provisions for managing grant funding, severance pay reporting, and employee verification processes, while prohibiting the use of state funds for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Additionally, the bill aims to enhance child development and care services by mandating ongoing rate increases for providers and requiring detailed reporting on various aspects of child care, including funding and quality. It sets the income eligibility threshold for the child development and care program at no more than 200% of the federal poverty guidelines and stipulates that payments to providers be based on enrollment rather than attendance. The bill allocates $1.5 million for mental health consultation for child care providers and ensures the continuation of the child care facilitator program, while also allowing for the enrollment of families from Wisconsin with members employed in Michigan.