High-Quality Preschool in Michigan is a Game Changer

Michigan is an undisputed champion of quality preschool that give kids a running start toward long-term academic achievement. Of course, coaches want their teams to be made up of athletes who are also strong students—a feat that requires early literacy and math skills that put children on solid academic footing when they enter school.

[[quote “Star athletes spend countless hours practicing. Teamwork and sticking to a task start in preschool.” “Dr. Judi Brown Clarke, 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist and former Head Coach, Women’s Track & Field, Michigan State University”]]

This report spotlights quality preschool’s proven impact on school readiness, particularly among children from low-income families. It details how several programs have led to reductions in behavior problems and the need for special education. And it dispels the myth that early learning benefits “fadeout” by highlighting gains lasting well into elementary school, as well as the established connection between quality preschool participation and high school graduation. All of which is critically important as Michigan strives to maximize the value of public investments for better-qualified workers, and more stable families and communities.