The First Step toward Economic Prosperity in Michigan
Michigan's outlook is bleak: One of the nation’s highest unemployment rates; per capita income near the bottom; analysts expecting Michigan to be among the 10 poorest states when 2009 data are released. It’s predicted that even if Michigan’s economy begins to grow at the relatively rapid rate of the 1990s, it would be 2025 or 2030 before the state could replace the jobs lost this decade alone.
And after more than nine years of budget cuts and state government downsizing, we can expect yet another budget deficit in the fiscal year 2010-2011 of at least $1.6 billion.
Clearly, cutting our way out of this economic crisis is not working. A new and bold direction is needed if we are to build an educated and skilled workforce to lead Michigan back to the path of prosperity.
We must begin with our children -- our future workforce.
Now is the time to grow the workforce of tomorrow by ensuring our children are ready to learn!
2010 Campaign
Michigan has a tremendous opportunity this year to change course. Rather than slashing funding for programs serving the most crucial learning period of birth to age 5 we must invest in them. With the upcoming November election and another year of budget turmoil, now is the time to speak up to protect funding and to build legislative champions for kids.
With the support of the national Birth to Five Policy Alliance, an independent organization promoting innovative and successful policies with the funding necessary to achieve positive early learning, strong families, and good health for vulnerable children birth to age 5, Michigan’s Children will be working with other partners to undertake a campaign to protect early childhood as a part of its larger policy agenda covering all children.
The primary purposes of this partnership are to:
Strengthen state and local advocacy to protect early childhood funding.
Educate candidates for statewide offices and for the Michigan Legislature on the importance of investments in early childhood.
Expand constituencies for public investments in early childhood.
42% believe 100% of Michigan children should receive publicly funded preschool
32% believe 70% of Michigan children should receive publicly funded preschool
51% support raising taxes to pay for expanding public preschool programs
34% would shift money from non-education general fund programs
Act Now!
You can help put our state on the path to prosperity! Join the Early Childhood Action Network to receive notices of special reports, Action Alerts, updates, and more information specifically about early childhood issues.
By the time children reach school age, as much as 85 percent of the intellectual and emotional wiring of their brains has been set.
Children whose early years are marked by poverty, deprivation and stress lag behind, and may never catch up even with expensive remediation.
Even the most aggressive efforts at education reform will fail if we don’t start when the brain is forming the fastest and laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning.
On average, only 65 percent of children entering kindergarten are ready to learn, and that the lack of opportunity to attend a preschool program is a primary factor for children staring school already trailing behind their peers.
Nearly 9 of every 10 kindergarten teachers report that the time needed to work with students who are academically behind when entering schools has an impact on their ability to teach the rest of the students.
Funding Cuts -
In recent years, lawmakers have cut millions of dollars in funding for early childhood programs. These cuts have closed preschools, ended vital mental health services, reduced access to health and child care, and cut lead poisoning and infant mortality programs.
A Solid & Safe Investment -
The latest research on the High/Scope Perry Preschool Program shows that every $1 spent on high quality early care and education services for low-income children saved more than $17 on welfare, criminal justice, special education and other social services.
A new economic impact study of Michigan's school readiness efforts found that in 2009 alone, Michigan realized an estimated $1.15 billion in cost savings and revenues due to investments in school readiness over the past 25 years.
Research proves that quality early childhood programs raise educational achievement, reduce crime, reduce child abuse and neglect, improve health and development, and strengthen social and emotional health.
“Skill begets skill; motivation begets motivation. Early failure begets later failure.” - James Heckman, Nobel Laureate in economics, University of Chicago
“Dollars invested in early childhood development yield extraordinary public returns." - Art Rolnik and Rob Greenwald, economists with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Events
Education Town Hall A Success!
The Center for Michigan in cooperation
with Public Sector Consultants hosted another successful public policy
town hall on March 10, 2010 at the Eagle Eye Golf Club in East Lansing.
More than 300 people attended the
forum, which was designed to get citizens more involved in statewide
issues, mingle with decision makers, and help set a solutions-oriented
policy agenda.
The event featured The Center's
interactive "clicker" voting technology and focused audience members on
the kinds of long-term education policy choices 10,000 people have
deliberated in nearly 500 statewide Community Conversations since fall
2007, including:
Performance: What is the return for Michigan's investments in pre-school, K-12, and higher education?
Funding & Affordability: How much should Michigan invest in
pre-school, K-12, and higher education programs? What more can be done
to assure affordable access to all levels of education?
Innovation: What additional innovative steps can Michigan take to best
prepare students to participate in Michigan's transforming economy?
Michigan's Children President & CEO
Jack Kresnak was among a distinguished lineup of speakers, including
Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon, State
Superintendent of Public Instruction Mike Flanagan, Kalamazoo Valley
Community College President Marilyn Schlack, American Federation of
Teachers-Michigan President David Hecker, State Rep. Tim Melton (Chair
of the House Education Committee), VP of Government Relations for the
University of Michigan Cynthia Wilbanks, and Early Childhood Investment
Corp. President Judy Samelson.
Cost Savings Analysis of School Readiness in Michigan - A report conducted by Wilder Research of St. Paul, Minn, for The Early Childhood Investment Corporation examining the economic impact of Michigan's school readiness efforts. Among the highlights of the report is the finding that in 2009 alone, the state realized an estimated $1.15 billion in cost savings and revenues due to the investments in school readiness over the past 25 years.
The Center for Michigan, a "think-and-do tank" formed in 2006, has published a two-part special report on the state's early childhood efforts and the funding perils they face.
Find legislation moving through the process in Michigan related to Early Childhood
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation was created in 2005 as a public/private initiative of government, business and the foundation community to build a statewide early childhood system known as the Great Start system and to increase investments in young children. This year, the ECIC has launched the 2010 Michigan Early Childhood Challenge to advocate for increased investments and educate candidates for statewide office of the importance of investing in young children.
The Birth to Five Policy Allianceprovides you with scientific research, economic analyses, program evaluation studies and other materials to help you in "making the case" for investing in young children.
Michigan's Children is a statewide, independent
voice for children and their families. We work with lawmakers, business
leaders, and communities to make Michigan a place where all children
have the opportunity to thrive.
Our Priorities
Michigan's Children, through our Board of Directors, annually establishes priorities that guide our administrative and legislative advocacy. We use those priorities in our work directly with policy makers and to assist community leaders, parents, youth and others to advocate on their own behalf. View or download the Michigan's Children's 2010 Policy Agenda
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Stay current on political and policy issues affecting children and youths, and learn of opportunities to have your voice heard.
Choose from General Interest, Early Childhood Action Network, Health Action Network and Graduate Michigan Action Network.
The Center for Michigan, a "think-and-do tank" formed in 2006, has published a two-part special report on the state's early childhood efforts and the funding perils they face.
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation was created in 2005 as a public/private initiative of government, business and the foundation community to build a statewide early childhood system known as the Great Start system and to increase investments in young children. This year, the ECIC has launched the 2010 Michigan Early Childhood Challenge to advocate for increased investments and educate candidates for statewide office of the importance of investing in young children.
The Birth to Five Policy Alliance provides you with scientific research, economic analyses, program evaluation studies and other materials to help you in "making the case" for investing in young children.
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