It's been an incredible week, what with the gubernatorial candidates signing on to address the crowd at the Sandbox Party convention Thursday at Breslin Center.

That they did speaks volumes about their regard for the power and passion of early childhood advocates in Michigan, and I can't wait to hear what they have to say. Will it match up with our view that if we want to fix Michigan we have to start at the beginning with our youngest learners? We'll find out.

In the meantime, here's some food for thought. Why do we need a Sandbox Party in Michigan:

BECAUSE:
• One of every ten Michigan babies was born to a teenager as recently as 2006.
• 45 percent of all births in Michigan are to single women who have incomes below the poverty line.
• Two of every three children in publicly-subsidized child care in Michigan are in unregulated child care settings.
• One in five Michigan children lives in a family with an income below the poverty line.
• Nearly 30,000 children were confirmed as victims of abuse or neglect in 2008.
• One of every two Hispanic children is born to a mother with less than 12 years of education, and almost one of every three African-American children.

AND BECAUSE:
• Michigan kindergarten teachers tell us that roughly a third their incoming students can’t keep up owing to physical, emotional and educational shortcomings. Children who start behind tend to stay behind.
• According to the Wilder Institute, Michigan currently saves $1.15 billion per year because past investments in preschool help lower the need for special education, welfare and imprisonment.
• Michigan was the sixth worst state in the nation for early childhood cuts in FY 2010, lowering funding by more than 20 percent. Michigan was one of just 18 states lowering funding. Twenty states, despite the economy, increased early childhood spending.

So, again, why does Michigan need a Sandbox Party?

Because Michigan needs a unifying force, a rallying point for people who understand that, for our collective economic well-being, the “same old, same old” approach to Michigan’s economic and social woes won’t work. Michigan needs fresh, bold thinking, beginning with the simple truth that starting at the beginning – in this case, with our youngest learners – is the surest way forward.

I'll see you Thursday.