|
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Tuesday, April 29, 2025 |
|
Michigan’s PreK for All Program Again Among Top In Nation
Great Start Readiness Program Meets All 10 Quality Benchmarks for 8th Year In a Row
LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential today announced that Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program, the state’s main PreK for All program, again achieved top marks for quality. Michigan is one of only five states to meet all 10 quality benchmarks set by the National Institute for Early Education Research, and this is the 8th year in a row that Michigan has earned this achievement.
“Every child deserves access to a high-quality education, and I am proud that Michigan’s PreK for All program has yet again been recognized as a top program nationwide,” said Governor Whitmer. “All Michigan four-year-olds are eligible to enroll in free, high quality PreK, giving them a solid academic foundation while saving their families $10,000 per year. I will continue to work with anyone to set up more of our kids for lifelong success by making strategic investments in early learning.”
“We are proud that Michigan’s Great Start Readiness Program is one of only 5 states to meet top benchmarks for quality,” said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, director of MiLEAP. “Early learning experiences are critical to children’s development and success. MiLEAP is committed to working with partners across the state to expand access to PreK for All and maintain the highest standards for quality.”
Released today, the National Institute for Early Education Research’s (NIEER’s) 2024 State of Preschool Yearbook presents a critical snapshot of PreK education in America. Michigan is one of five states nationwide to meet all 10 of NIEER’s recommended benchmarks for PreK quality. NIEER’s benchmarks measure essential quality indicators, including teacher qualifications, class sizes, early learning standards, and program assessments.
The Great Start Readiness Program is Michigan’s main PreK for All program, which also includes Head Start, developmental kindergarten and early childhood special education. PreK helps ensure children are ready to thrive when they enter kindergarten, and it sets children up for long-term success by providing the foundation they need to be successful in school and work. In addition to the benefits for children and their development, free PreK saves families an estimated $10,000 per year. For every dollar spent on PreK for All, it creates $1.72 in total economic benefits for our state.
Enrollment in PreK for All is now open for the 2025-26 school year for children who will be 4 years old by Dec. 1, 2025. PreK for All is open to all families, no matter their income, while prioritizing those who need it most.
Families can visit MiPreKforAll.org to find programs near them that meet their unique needs.
###
Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from preschool to postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.
|
|
|
|
