FLL PROGRAM UPDATES

A new era of FIRST LEGO League is coming to Michigan!

FIRST has announced a new era for FLL! What does this mean for Michigan teams? This page is intended to cover all you need to know about upcoming changes as they apply to elementary teams who are part of the FIRST in Michigan family.

We are receiving information directly from FIRST and LEGO as we plan to provide events and support for teams in Michigan. There is misinformation and information that doesn’t apply to Michigan out there, so please find authoritative information for Michigan teams from the links below and this page. Reach out if you have any questions!

This page covers lower elementary teams. You can find information about the new upper elementary program here: FLLC Program Update page

General New Program Information
Information from FIRST: Information from LEGO:
FIRST in Michigan Information

Some key points for Michigan teams:
  • FIRST LEGO League will still fit within Michigan’s Progression of Programs as an elementary program. While you may see information about other grade levels elsewhere in the U.S. or internationally, teams registered in Michigan will experience the new FIRST LEGO League platform for grades K-2 and 3-5, with the same current exception for 6th graders who are in an elementary (K-6, 3-6, etc.) building to participate with 3-5.
  • Michigan will run both Founders and Future events in 2026 and 2027. Note that for the K-2 program, Future Edition release is a bit behind the 3-5 programs, so teams who plan to participate Fall 2026 will only have the option of continuing in Founders edition. Teams who participate in Spring 2027 can choose between Founders or Future, and for the 2027-2028 school year, teams can participate in either program.
  • Teams and coaches do not need to figure out the new program alone in Michigan! Look for upcoming coach emails with details about FIM calls which will cover everything you need to know.
  • Please see a list of FAQs below specifically for Michigan teams.
FAQ for Michigan Teams
FAQ

Answers teams in Michigan need as they make plans for future seasons. Check back for additional FAQs as more details are available and more questions come in from Michigan teams. There are many more general details in the links above, including the FIRST FAQ!
  • Will FIRST in Michigan have both Founders and Future Edition events?  Yes, we are fortunate to have a large FLL program in Michigan (nearly 2000 teams!) with dozens of events at each level, so we will be able to scale to meet the needs of teams as they transition to the Founders Edition on a timeline that makes sense for them. You will receive surveys from FIRST in Michigan in coming months requesting information about your plans, after teams have all necessary information to make that decision, and this will allow us to plan event capacities.
  • Will there be grants available to transition to the new Edition? Grant information is not available from FIRST yet. It is too early to know if there may be other grants available to teams as they transition to the Future Edition. We expect the Michigan 99h grant for competitive robotics to continue, which will help provide funds for teams to purchase new equipment. Teams should also be planning fundraising and sponsorship options to help fund new equipment.
  • When can we start the Future Edition program? While the FLL 3-5 program materials will be available in April and teams can register and begin Fall 2026, the LEGO CS&AI K-2 kits will not be available until September and the season will kick off in October 2026. Teams who would like to participate in Fall 20206 should remain in the Founders Edition for the 2025-2026 school year. Teams who participate in spring can move to the Future Edition for Spring 2027.
  • What do we need to purchase for Future Edition for our teams? While you can see the new equipment available from LEGO Education already for pre-order, the kit pricing/options available through the FIRST Dashboard has not been announced yet. As registration in May approaches, we more details will be available. For K-2, expect to purchase one Computer Science & AI K-2 kit per team.
  • Will the K-2 events be similar to the new 3-5 program? No, the K-2 Future Edition will be more similar to FLLE as students share their build with reviewers, complete activities, and celebrate their accomplishments.
  • I’m a coach, and I just want to get one set to try out as soon as possible. What should I order? If you want to make a pre-order of a kit to try the new equipment out, order one CS&AI K-2 kit.
  • What will team sizes be? FIRST LEGO League Future Edition K-2 teams is designed for teams of 4 students. We do not yet know what the rules will be for team sizes beyond that.
  • What happens if we will need an additional team next year but are not ready to move our program to Future Edition? Do we need to wait to expand? No!! Additional Founders Edition teams can still be registered, though SPIKE robot kits will be retired in June. We have a number of sets in Michigan available, and we will have a form to match you with teams who want to sell/donate their SPIKE robot kits as they purchase CS&AI kits and move into Future Edition.
  • Can a team do both editions? Can a school have teams in both? Yes! Teams will be able to register again for the other edition. And yes, schools can have some teams who have transitioned to Future Edition and some who do so later.
  • Will we keep our team number? Will we be rookie teams once we move to Future Edition? When a team is ready to convert to Future Edition, they will be assigned a new number during the conversion. This does not mean you are a rookie team, as rookie status is determined by the number of teams previously registered at a school/district/organization. You will also not have to re-enter your details for each team (good news for our large programs!)