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Scientists have demonstrated that 85 percent of the emotional and intellectual wiring of the brain is formed during the first three years of life. Children are born ready to learn and actually crave the positive stimulation that lets them do so.
Yet, despite increasing recognition of the
importance of early childhood, state investments in early childhood
education and family support have been stagnant or reduced.
As a consequence:
- One of every five Michigan children under the age of six lives in poverty.
- Young children are at higher risk of child abuse and neglect, and more likely to be living in foster care.
- Too
many of the state’s children do not have access to the high quality
preschool programs that have been shown to improve school success.
- Thousands of Michigan children are in child care settings of unknown quality and safety.
- Too many parents do not have the tools to be their children’s first and best teachers.
Michigan’s Children works with policymakers,
community leaders and parents to advance public policies and programs
that support families with young children in Michigan, including
parenting education and support, child abuse and neglect prevention,
and access to high quality early learning programs.
Early Childhood Action Network
In 2010, Michigan's Children is partnering with the national Birth to Five Policy Alliance and several Michigan organizations to take advantage of a unique opportunity to change the state's economic course by prioritizing investments in early childhood when the foundation is set for a lifetime of learning.
Join us as we fight to protect funding for early childhood programs, educate legislative candidates on the value of these investments and build support for early childhood programs.
Now is the time to grow the
workforce of tomorrow by ensuring our children are ready to learn!
Click here for more
Ready Kids Ready Schools Ready Communities
On January 22,
2009 Michigan's Children in partnership with the Early Childhood
Investment Corporation, Calhoun County Community and Early
Childhood Services, and eight additional statewide organizations to
provide a technical assistance meeting.
Click here to access meeting materials and read more
Federal Priorities
The Early Learning Challenge Fund
is a new fund that would provide competitive grants to challenge states
to build comprehensive, high-quality early learning systems for
children up to age five. Click here to read the National Women's Law Center's summary of the fund.
Resources
Find legislation moving through the process in Michigan related to Early Childhood
Join Us As We Advocate For Expanded High Quality Early Learning and Preschool Programs in Michigan!
We need your help in making the needs of our youngest children a high priority as Michigan allocates its scarce resources!! Please join our Early Learning Now Network. We will provide you with the information you need to advocate for early learning in Michigan, including timely information about opportunities to influence decisions being made by policymakers in Lansing.
To join the Early Learning Now Network please contact Pat Sorenson. In addition to your e-mail address, we would appreciate your name, organization (if any), address and phone number. This information will not be shared with others, but helps us reach you if our e-mails are unexpectedly returned.
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