Michigan

Overview

During the 2022-2023 school year, Michigan Great Start School Readiness (GSRP) enrolled 38,140 children, an increase of 2,245 from the prior year. State spending totaled $369,120,000, with an additional $83,000,000 in federal recovery funds to support the program, down $4,696,417 (1%), adjusted for inflation, since last year. State spending per child (including federal recovery funds) equaled $11,854 in 2022-2023, down $872 from 2021-2022, adjusted for inflation. Michigan met 10 of 10 quality standards benchmarks.

What's New

The $83 million in federal recovery funding to expand GSRP in 2022-2023 the State used federal funding for GSRP, which helped move Michigan toward the goal of enrolling 90% of 4-year-olds in families at or below 250% FPL. This was the last year using federal recovery funding for GSRP. The state legislature approved an increase in GSRP per child funding from $8,700 to $9,150 for a full-day slot, matching the base foundation allowance of K–12. As of December 1, 2023, GSRP moved to the newly created MichiganDepartment of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential created by the Governor under Executive Order 2023-6.

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) received a Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B–5) planning grant for $4 million in December 2022 to create workforce and family engagement needs assessments that will be incorporated into Michigan’s Collective Early Childhood Action Plan.

Background

Established in 1985, the GSRP, formerly known as Michigan School Readiness Program, provides preschool education for at-risk 4-year- olds, and is associated with the state’s early childhood initiative. Starting in 2013-2014, 90% of families had to be at or below 250% FPL with some exceptions for up to 300% FPL. In 2021-2022, up to 15% of children could be over the income threshold, up from 10%. Any family over-income must pay a fee on a locally determined sliding scale unless they are homeless, in foster care, or have an IEP recommending placement in an inclusive preschool setting. GSRP serves the majority of children in school-day programs. Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) serve as program grantees, but they may distribute funds to local school districts and to providers in community- based settings to offer GSRP. GSRP providers must attain a three-star or higher rating in Michigan’s Great Start to Quality (GSQ) tiered rating and improvement system. In Winter 2023, Michigan’s GSQ system was updated to be more provider friendly and moved away from star ratings. GSRP providers must now be an equivalent to enhanced quality within the new naming convention.

Overall ISD funding is determined by the level of poverty in each ISD and a funding formula, with final grantee awards based on a community needs assessment and a formula component. State funding includes a transportation fund, a curriculum/training fund, and funding to recruit families and increase public awareness of GSRP; as well as $500,000 for ongoing statewide evaluation activities.

Michigan’s Developmental Kindergarten (DK, not included in this report) is the first year of a planned two-year kindergarten program sequence for children who turn 5 between September 2 and December 1 or whose parents and/or schools feel they are “not ready,” usually those with birthdays between July and September 1. It is funded in the same way as kindergarten using the school funding formula and follows kindergarten requirements, which are based on local district control. DK enrolled 8,498 four-year-olds with $77,756,700 in total spending in 2022-2023.

Michigan’s Strong Beginnings is a pilot state-funded center-based preschool program for three-year-olds. In 2022-2023, 178 three- year-olds participated in the program with $2.2 million in state school aid funding.

Michigan Great Start Readiness Program

Access

Total state pre-K enrollment	38,140
School districts that offer state program	99% (counties)
Income requirement	250% FPL
Minimum hours of operation	3 hours/day; 4 days/week
Operating schedule	Determined locally
Special education enrollment, ages 3 and 4	9,434
Federally funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	19,804
State-funded Head Start enrollment, ages 3 and 4	0

Resources

*Pre-K programs may receive additional funds from federal or local sources that are not included in this figure. †Head Start per-child spending includes funding only for 3- and 4-year-olds. ‡K–12 expenditures include capital spending as well as current operating expenditures.