In January 2023, Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced PreK for All, a bold goal to provide every four-year-old in Michigan with access to free PreKindergarten (PreK) by 2027. The announcement was followed by a $254.6 million increase in funding for the state’s PreK program—the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)—to expand eligibility to children from families with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level…

Findings from the Citizens Research Council of Michigan In August 2016 and with support from the Foundation, Citizens Research Council of Michigan (CRC) released a report to improve and inform the federal application to renew Michigan's Childcare Subsidy Program. The Michigan program has been under-subscribed, resulting in unused funding being returned to the federal government — the only state in the U.S. to…

Research studies have demonstrated that investing in effective early education programs that prepare young children cognitively, physically, socially, and emotionally for success in school – particularly low-income children at risk of school failure – prevents or reduces needless public spending throughout the educational, social services, and criminal justice systems for juveniles and adults. Early school readiness also increases future state revenues by lowering drop-out…

This study demonstrates the economic value to state government and the public of investing in school readiness for just one more child at risk of academic failure in Detroit relative to Michigan as whole. Much of this value takes the form of savings. For example, children who attend preschool require less special education, repeat grades less, have fewer behavioral problems in school, graduate at…