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JUST RELEASED: To help lay the groundwork for developing a comprehensive financing plan for the Great Start system, ECIC worked with The Finance Project, an independent nonprofit research and technical assistance organization, to assess Michigan�s current funding for early childhood supports and services. "Financing a Great Start for Michigan's Children: Analysis of Existing Resources for the Great Start System" creates a funding map of federal, state and private expenditures on programs and services for young children and their families and analyzes the effectiveness of current funding for the Great Start system.

Click here to read the full report (Appendices: 1 | 2)

The NGA Center Selects Michigan to Host a Governor's Summit on Early Childhood

Michigan received a $10,000 grant from the National Governors Association to host a Governor's Summit on Early Childhood. Michigan's proposal was selected out of seventeen state proposals, meeting the expectations and criteria by defining clear goals, prioritizing key actions, and establishing short- and long-term indicators for hosting a successful Summit to promote a comprehensive school readiness agenda for at-risk children ages birth to five.

See attached press release.

Special Features

A Great Start for Kids: Recommendations for a Michigan Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System

A Great Start for Kids: Recommendations for a Michigan Child Care Quality Rating and Improvement System, released in April 2007, represents the findings and recommendations of a Michigan Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS) Workgroup. Following from a lengthy process of fact-finding and collaboration, the group�s recommendations lay the groundwork for a quality rating system for Michigan�s licensed center-based care providers, as well as registered family home-care and licensed group home-care providers. The publication comes in response to State efforts to develop a comprehensive systemic plan for early childhood development and a subsequent legislative mandate to establish, administer and publish a quality rating system for child-care centers, day-care centers, family day-care homes, and group day-care homes, and to make that information available to the public. Although the publication is a valuable resource in the development of a QRIS system in Michigan, full implementation of its recommendations will depend on the acquisition of additional resources and may be informed by further research and practical funding realities.

Click here to read report

New Report Released: The Science of Early Childhood Development

Recent developments in neuroscience clearly indicate that the early years of a child's life are the most critical in terms of his or her future well-being and productivity. Child development is a foundation for community and economic development, as capable children become the foundation of a prosperous and sustainable society. Neuroscientists now know that brain architecture is built over time during which specific circuits associated with specific abilities are formed from the bottom up. Through this process, early experiences create a foundation for lifelong learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health. For optimum brain development, mutually rewarding interactions between a child and his caregiver are essential prerequisites. Simple circuits and skills provide the scaffolding for more advanced circuits and skills over time. Cognitive, emotional and social capabilities are inextricably intertwined throughout the process of brain development. However, persistent stress in early childhood can damage developing brain architecture and lead to lifelong problems in learning, behavior, and both physical and mental health. Creating the right conditions for early childhood development is likely to be more effective and less costly than addressing problems at a later age.

Click here to read report

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