For Michigan, one of the states with the largest Head Start enrollments in the country, the consequence of sequestration will be serious. Robin J. Bozek, Executive Director of Michigan Head Start Association said that the impact would be “immediate and disruptive.”
Thunderous applause met that announcement last week from Deputy Superintendent Susan Broman of the Michigan Department of Education-Office of Great Start, at the Early Childhood Challenge Summit.
Her words referenced recently unveiled state and national plans to increase early childhood investments, including an additional $130 million over two years to allow more children access to the state’s Great Start Readiness Program and a per-slot funding boost from $3,400 to $3,625.
Michigan’s Child Poverty Rate Remains Cause for Concern
With President Obama’s and Governor Snyder’s announcements to boost early childhood investments fresh in their minds, leaders and stakeholders of Michigan’s efforts gathered last week with buoyed hope at the Early Childhood Challenge.
In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced his plan to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America. More information, released by the White House today, is finding support from long-time early childhood advocates in Michigan.
One of the least-discussed federal special education programs is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C grants for infants and toddlers. IDEA Part C is a $443 million program housed in the Department of Education. It currently offers early intervention (EI) services to 350,000 infants and children between birth and age 2. A recent study found that in Michigan, the state with the broadest eligibility criteria, about 78 percent of 9-month-olds were eligible for Part C services, and about 58 percent of 2-year-olds qualified.
We know – and you know – that teeth need to last a lifetime. But too many children in Michigan are losing their baby teeth to premature tooth decay, putting their dental health, nutritional health and overall health at risk. The scary thing is that tooth decay can be prevented. And one of the best things families can do is schedule a dental visit for their child before they turn one-year-old. Click here for more information
Gov. Rick Snyder asked the joint Legislative Appropriation Committee on Thursday to enlarge the state’s successful but underfunded Great Start Readiness Program as part of a 2014-15 budget address that also called on greater investments in early childhood programs, roads and Medicaid health coverage.
After the requisite kudos and thanks to his supporters, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State address had plenty of valuable information for supporters of early childhood investment.
LANSING – Over half a million children up to age 17 in Michigan lived in families with income below the poverty level in 2011, according to the Kids Count in Michigan Data Book 2012: The Michigan League for Public Policy released today. That overall percentage continues an alarming increase in the poverty rate among the state’s youngest children between 2005 and 2010 when child poverty rose from 18 percent to 23 percent.
Over the past six months, the Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Great Start (OGS) has been preparing a plan to improve the well-being of Michigan’s youngest children from birth through age 8. To do this, the OGS has partnered with Public Sector Consultants and the Citizens Research Council to study Michigan’s current early childhood system and develop recommendations on how to best support the interests of young children and their families.
The latest edition of CONNECTions for a Great Start magazine is now available.
This issue’s topic is “Managing Stress & Identifying Quality Supports” and includes stories like the “Impact of Stress on the Developing Child,” “Easing the Stress of Arrivals & Departures,” among many more.
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation is hosting its annual early childhood policy summit, the Michigan Early Childhood Challenge, on February 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. Lunch will be provided.
Parents used to have a tough job figuring out how to choose a high-quality child care or preschool to nurture and care for their child during these critical learning and development years.
That job has become a lot easier since the 2010 launch of Michigan’s greatstartCONNECT.org, a nationally recognized searchable database of licensed child care and preschool programs.
For the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, the spirit of giving has manifested itself in a variety of activities over the years, from adopting a families in need to buying and building toys for under-resourced child care centers and emergency services groups.
Infused with the spirit of giving again this year, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation staff used their annual holiday gathering to purchase and package gifts for children in need.
Drawstring backpacks were filled with hats, scarves, coloring books, reading books, and special toys. Toothbrushes and toothpaste, donated by Delta Dental and the Michigan Dental Association, also were included.
In addition to receiving a backpack, each child was given a grocery bag filled with enough meal and snacks to last the week the child is off from school, between Christmas and New Year.
Despite reports of some upturn in Michigan’s economy, 13 percent of the state’s children livein extreme poverty and 19 percent are exposed to three or more risk factors that will have a profound impact on the child’s health and ability to learn.
The National Center for Children in Poverty’s new fact sheet “Young Children at Risk: National and State Prevalence of Risk Factors,” highlights needs of children and families that can be addressed through family support, health and education policies.
As early as 24 months, children in low-income families have been found to show lags in cognitive and behavioral development compared to their peers in higher-income families. Children affected by multiple risks – three or more risk factors – are the most likely to experience school failure and other negative outcomes.
Editor's note: The Early Childhood Investment Corporation has supported the efforts of Michigan communities to implement a Children's Healthcare Awareness Program (CHAP). Nationally, CHAP fits into the broader efforts related to improving access to quality care for vulnerable children. In Michigan, CHAP works exclusively with children on Medicaid and helps them access quality health care using a more efficient system. Good health is essential for school readiness, an issue that is central to the work of the Investment Corporation.
MLive, KALAMAZOO – A discussion with a colleague a few years ago about how to better help kids who are below the poverty line, led Dr. Thomas Akland, a pediatrician who works for Borgess ProMed Pediatrics and Borgess Family Medicine in Plainwell, to spearhead an effort to start the Children’s Healthcare Access Program in Kalamazoo.
A pilot program of CHAP, which has already taken root in Kent and Wayne counties, has started here with in-kind support from Borgess Health and Bronson Healthcare Group, the dedication of space and resources by Kalamazoo Community Mental Health, and volunteer participation by many others.
GAYLORD – Families visiting the Gaylord Secretary of State office will find the wait can be pleasant and productive with the launch of the Children’s Literary Corner.
The newly unveiled Literary Corner is designed to be family friendly and follows the national effort to encourage and support early education.
“What child doesn’t love a good story?” Michigan Secretary of State Ruth Johnson said. “Reading helps a child explore the world and opens up new opportunities for learning. A children’s reading corner at the Gaylord Secretary of State office says a lot about the priority that the staff and community place on education and the future of their children.”
In Michigan today, two out of three parents of young children are waiting too long to prevent oral health problems in their infants and toddlers.
Despite the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry’s recommendation that all children see a dentist prior to their first birthday, a new study by the Child Health and Research Unit at the University of Michigan found that barely one-third of Michigan parents surveyed were doing so. As a result, preventable tooth decay has become a serious threat not only to children’s oral health, but to their overall health as well.
In a speech delivered at Miami University in Ohio, economist Tim Bartik answered that question and described what high-quality preschool can do for the economic development of the United States.
Restating arguments published in his book, “Investing in Kids,” the senior economist for W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research in Kalamazoo delivered remarks during a recent TEDx forum.
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In his State of the Union address, President Barack Obama announced his plan to expand access to high-quality preschool to every child in America. More information, released by the White House today, is finding support from long-time early childhood advocates in Michigan.
We know – and you know – that teeth need to last a lifetime. But too many children in Michigan are losing their baby teeth to premature tooth decay, putting their dental health, nutritional health and overall health at risk. The scary thing is that tooth decay can be prevented. And one of the best things families can do is schedule a dental visit for their child before they turn one-year-old. 
After the requisite kudos and thanks to his supporters, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder’s State of the State address had plenty of valuable information for supporters of early childhood investment.
LANSING – Over half a million children up to age 17 in Michigan lived in families with income below the poverty level in 2011, according to the Kids Count in Michigan Data Book 2012: The Michigan League for Public Policy released today. That overall percentage continues an alarming increase in the poverty rate among the state’s youngest children between 2005 and 2010 when child poverty rose from 18 percent to 23 percent.
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation is hosting its annual early childhood policy summit, the Michigan Early Childhood Challenge, on February 15 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center in East Lansing. Lunch will be provided.
For the Early Childhood Investment Corporation, the spirit of giving has manifested itself in a variety of activities over the years, from adopting a families in need to buying and building toys for under-resourced child care centers and emergency services groups. 
Infused with the spirit of giving again this year, the Early Childhood Investment Corporation staff used their annual holiday gathering to purchase and package gifts for children in need. 
Despite reports of some upturn in Michigan’s economy, 13 percent of the state’s children livein extreme poverty and 19 percent are exposed to three or more risk factors that will have a profound impact on the child’s health and ability to learn.
MLive, KALAMAZOO – A discussion with a colleague a few years ago about how to better help kids who are below the poverty line, led Dr. Thomas Akland, a pediatrician who works for Borgess ProMed Pediatrics and Borgess Family Medicine in Plainwell, to spearhead an effort to start the Children’s Healthcare Access Program in Kalamazoo. 
GAYLORD – Families visiting the Gaylord Secretary of State office will find the wait can be pleasant and productive with the launch of the Children’s Literary Corner.
In Michigan today, two out of three parents of young children are waiting too long to prevent oral health problems in their infants and toddlers.
OXFORD, Ohio – Can preschool save the economy?