Consumers Energy Foundation grant supports preschool tuition in Northern Michigan
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CHARLEVOIX — The Consumers Energy Foundation recently granted $5,000 to the Great Start Collaborative and Parent Coalition of Charlevoix, Emmet and Northern Antrim counties to support preschool tuition for families in need.
“The Great Start Collaborative aims to ensure all children are developmentally ready to succeed in school at the time of school entry. A key to this success is ensuring high-quality early learning experiences for youth,” said Savanah Cool, Great Start Collaborative director.
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According to the Char-Em ISD, while the Head Start and Great Start Readiness program provide free preschool for many families, some youth and families in the community remain waitlisted for those programs. When this occurs, families face additional challenges as they strive to pay tuition-based programming for their children, Cool noted.
“Great Start Collaborative seeks funding each year to support the Great Start Collaborative Preschool Scholarship Program to alleviate some of the strain and level the playing field to ensure all children have an opportunity to achieve their maximum potential,” Cool said. “Thank you to the Consumers Energy Foundation for investing in our local early childhood system.”
More:What is universal pre-K? Whitmer proposes 'Pre-K for All' in Michigan
Michigan currently offers a financial assistance program for preschool through the Great Start Readiness Program. According to a recent report from the Detroit Free Press, right now it's available to families with incomes up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level.
In her annual State of the State address this week, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposed a “Pre-K for All” plan for young children in Michigan.
According to a 2021 report from the Education Commission of the States, a nonpartisan policy think tank, only nine states and Washington D.C. currently offer universal or nearing-universal pre-K programs.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Consumers Energy Foundation grant supports preschool tuition in Northern Michigan
