Pre-K for All

April 24, 2006
12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Kellogg Center, MSU

This Learning Team presentation will examine the concept of Universal Pre-K for all 3 and 4 year olds. When communities invest in a stable workforce of trained early childhood providers, they also help to ensure that a child’s basic foundation will be durable.  These early investments reap dividends as child development translates into economic development later on.  A child with a solid foundation becomes part of a solid community and contributes to our society.  Every three and four-year-old in Michigan shall be offered a high quality pre-kindergarten learning opportunity by the state.  This voluntary early childhood development and education program shall be established according to Michigan’s Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Pre-Kindergarten and shall be free for all Michigan three and four-year-olds without taking away funds used for existing education, health and development programs.

Learning Team Members:

Dawn Arwood, Grant Coordinator, Children’s Trust Fund
Al Horn, Director of Refugee Services, Department of Human Services
Jim Paris, Acting Coordinator, Policy & Compliance, Office of Special Education & Early Intervention Services, Department of Education
Dan Reardon, Education Consultant, Office of School Improvement, Department of Education
Connie Robinson, Education Consultant, Office of Early Childhood Education & Family Services, Department of Education
Cheryl Schubel, Acting Supervisor, Child & Adult Care Food Program, Department of Education
Lorraine Thoreson, Education Consultant, Office of Early Childhood Education & Family Services, Department of Education

Great Start

Vision
A Great Start to make every child in Michigan safe, healthy, and eager to succeed in school and in life.  http://greatstartforkids.org/background.htm
 
Mission
The purpose of Great Start is to assure a coordinated system of community resources and supports to help all Michigan families provide a great start for their children from birth to age five. http://greatstartforkids.org/background.htm

Agenda

1:00 p.m. Introduction & Instruction
1:15 p.m. Developing Children's Brains - Connie Robinson
2:00 p.m. Break
2:10 p.m. Perry Preschool Project - Dr. Larry Schweinhart
3:10 p.m. Distribution of Folder Information & Instruction
3:20 p.m. Break & Gallery Walk
3:45 p.m. Back to Tables - Instruction & Table Work
4:15 p.m. Community Implementation Plan
4:45 p.m. Wrap-up
5:00 p.m. Adjourn

Resource Persons:

Dr. Lawrence Schweinhart
President
High/Scope Educational Research Foundation http://www.highscope.org/
600 North River Street
Ypsilanti, MI 48198-2898
(734) 485-2000

Larry Schweinhart was appointed by the High/Scope Board of Directors in 2003 to lead the High/Scope Foundation. During three decades of service to High/Scope as senior research scientist and chair of the High/Scope Research Division, he was instrumental in leading a range of research initiatives at the Foundation­from initially conducting research in 1975 to becoming High/Scope's lead researcher in 1989 in charge of all educational research programs.  Some projects he has led:

• The High/Scope Perry Preschool Project ­ the landmark study establishing the great human and financial potential of high-quality early childhood programs
• The High/Scope Curriculum Comparison Study, providing evidence that child-initiated learning activities are central to high-quality early childhood programs
• The longitudinal state evaluation of the Michigan School Readiness Program for at-risk 4-year-olds
• High/Scope's Head Start Quality Research Center, a 10-year effort currently evaluating effects of intensive High/Scope curriculum training on Head Start teachers and children
• The development and evaluation of both editions of the Preschool Child Observation Record (COR), designed to assess young children's development from infancy through elementary school
• A recently launched Ready Schools initiative, made possible through a $1.4 million grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and designed to develop and validate a Ready School Assessment and create an improvement plan for use in the nation's elementary schools

Dr. Schweinhart has authored numerous articles and essays on research topics that impact children's educational issues as well as numerous technical reports and program evaluations. He also has addressed a range of audiences of early childhood educators, researchers, advocates, and policy makers. He received his Ph.D. in education from Indiana University in 1975 and has taught a range of elementary school and college courses. He earned a B.A. in philosophy from St. Mary's Seminary and University, Baltimore, MD, in 1969.

Resource Materials:

Web Based Resources:
Brain Development: Building Children’s Brains
http://mi-aimh.msu.edu/publications/JoanFirestone.pdf
Perry Preschool Study
http://www.highscope.org/NewsandInformation/PressReleases/PerryP-Age40.htm
Building a 21st Century Economy: The Case for Investing in Early Education Reform
http://www.newamerica.net/Download_Docs/pdfs/Doc_File_2753_1.pdf