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Your Role in Michigan’s Coming Investment in Early Childhood Education

June 19-22, 2007, Bay City, MI. Your Role in Michigan’s Coming Investment in Early Childhood Education. Larry Schweinhart High/Scope Educational Research Foundation 600 N. River St. Ypsilanti, MI 48198-2898 734-485-2000, LSchweinhart@highscope.org. Pre-K: Opportunity in a Crisis.

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Your Role in Michigan’s Coming Investment in Early Childhood Education

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  1. June 19-22, 2007, Bay City, MI Your Role in Michigan’s Coming Investment in Early Childhood Education Larry Schweinhart High/Scope Educational Research Foundation 600 N. River St. Ypsilanti, MI 48198-2898 734-485-2000, LSchweinhart@highscope.org

  2. Pre-K: Opportunity in a Crisis • As the State of Michigan struggles to pay for public schooling, we must stay focused on our mission to educate all young people to their full potential. • Though optional to school districts, model prekindergartens contribute to this mission, even more than existing programs.

  3. Experience by age 4 affects children’s brains Normal Orphanage Thinking Emotions Automatic Source: Harry Chugani, Wayne State University

  4. High/Scope Perry Preschool StudyMajor findings

  5. High/Scope Perry Preschool StudyLarge return on investment (Per participant in 2000 constant dollars discounted 3% annually)

  6. But only model prekindergartens have these effects. • Model prekindergartens have long-term effects and return on investment. • But many of today’s Head Start and state prekindergartens have onlymodest effects on children’s skills and parents’ behavior.

  7. Model prekindergartens are NOT: • Custodial care, with underpaid teachers and children wandering aimlessly. • Junior elementary school, with teacher-directed instruction, seatwork, and children seen and not heard.

  8. Model prekindergartens do: • Employ qualified teachers. • Use a comprehensive,valid early childhood education model. • Engage parents as partners with teachers.

  9. Michigan’s early childhood programs One-third of Michigan’s children under 5 regularly receive care and education in a center or school: • From 8% of infants • To 65% of 4-year-olds.

  10. Early childhood program funding • Parents pay most of the costs. • The federal government subsidizes Head Start, early childhood special education, and child care for low-income children. • The State of Michigan subsidizes part-day Michigan School Readiness programs and would subsidize proposed full-day prekindergartens. • Additional local investments are needed for programs to achieve model status.

  11. Local initiatives should financially top off prekindergartens by investing in: • Qualified teachers – A certified teacher in every classroom. • Model support – Teaching staff require substantial training, supervision, and assessment in a valid, comprehensive early childhood education model. • Parent support – Teaching staff need paid time to meet regularly with parents.

  12. ISDs’ special role • Like counties, ISDs cover the entire state. • Unlike counties, they focus on education. • Michigan government favors schools to deliver early childhood education. • The 57 ISDs mediate between state government and 735 local school districts.

  13. ISDs – Homes of the Great Start Collaboratives • The Early Childhood Investment Corporation • Is planning the state’s early childhood future. • Is leading the statewide network of Great Start Collaboratives. • All ISDs will eventually have a Great Start Collaborative. • 21 are now state-subsidized. • Others now operating are not state-subsidized. • These new Great Start Collaboratives need organizational nurturance.

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