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TheroadtoMichiganx19stieredqualityratingandimprovementsystemGreatStarttoQualityhasbeenpavedwithinputexperienceandinnovation.In2005asmallgroupofstatewideearlychildhoodleadersdevelopedrecommendationsforaqualityratingsystemforthestatex19slicensedchildcareproviders.In2008theEarlyChildhoodInvestmentCorporationconvenedanadvisoryteamcomprisedofstateandlocalearlychildhoodexpertstotakeanotherlookathowtodesignandimplementaqualityratingandimprovementsystemrex17ectingwhereyoungchildrenspendtheirearliestyears.In2009ledbytheSkillmanFoundationanassessmentratingandimprovementsystemforchildcarecenterswaspilotedinthreelow-incomeDetroitneighborhoods.Thefollowingyearitwasexpandedtothreemore.Inlate2009andspringof2010KalamazooandKentcountiescreatedtargetedpilotinitiativesaroundimprovingquality.TheKalamazooworkservedeighthome-basedand24center-basedearlyeducationprogramsinKalamazooCounty.Itsfocuswasonoverallqualityimprovement.TheKenteffortwasfocusedinaconcentratedareaofGrandRapidswherethehighestnumbersofstate-subsidizedproviderswerefound.Itsfocuswastobuildearlychildhoodlanguageandliteracyskillsandtohelpprovidersimprovetheirskillsandresources.In2010theEarlyLearningAdvisoryCouncilidentix16edasaprioritythedevelopmentofatieredqualityratingandimprovementsystem.ELACdesignatedtheEarlyChildhoodInvestmentCorporationtoleadandconvenethedevelopmentofanewdesignforit.WithhelpfromTheBuildInitiativewhichaidsstatesintheirdevelopmentofearlychildhoodsystemstheInvestmentCorporationconvenedstakeholderstotakeanewlookatthe2007recommendations.AsaresultofthatworknewrecommendationsweredevelopedandpublishedinNovember2010.AlloftheseprojectscontinuetoinformthenewstatewidesystemdesignedtoimproveallofMichiganx19searlylearninganddevelopmentprogramswhilehelpingfamiliesx16ndthebestearlylearningsettingsfortheirchildren.Belowaretwoproviderswhobenex16ttedfromtheSkillmanFoundationworkinDetroitx19sBrightmoorneighborhood.GreatStarttoQualityRootedinCollaborativeLearningBYTERIBANASSPRING2012GREATSTARTSHERE5