Michigan

Michigan School Readiness Program

Overview of Program

• Serves four-year olds in Michigan who are at-risk of school failure
• Funded by the state of Michigan through the Department of Education
• All programs must provide a strong family involvement/parent education component as well as preschool education
• There are both half-day and full-day options, as well as center-based and home-based programs

Brief History of Michigan’s School Readiness Program

• Began in 1985 (funded 53 projects serving 8,208 children)
• FY 2004 received $85 million in state funding
• Currently serves 25,909 children in 467 school districts and 65 community agencies

Evaluation of Michigan’s School Readiness Program

• Evaluations started in 1995-1996 examining program quality
• A series of evaluation studies have been conducted since 1995
• Data collected includes:
• Characteristics of study participants and their families
• Academic & social skills in Kindergarten & Elementary School
• School attendance, grade repetition, special services
• Michigan Educational Assessment Program (statewide testing of academic performance)
• Parent involvement in child’s activities and parent expectations for their child’s schooling
• Program Quality of the MSRP classrooms
• “The Effects of the Michigan School Readiness Program on Young Children’s Abilities at Kindergarten Entry,” a 2005 report conducted by the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER). [PDF]
• “The Michigan School Readiness Program Evaluation Through Age 10” a 2002 report conducted by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation:
  • Full report [PDF]
  • Brief summary [PDF]
• “2005-2006 Michigan School Readiness Program: Program Quality Assessment Statewide Data Report” conducted by the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation [PDF]

Other Program Initiatives in Michigan

• Michigan Full-day Preschool Program (MFPP)
  • Full-day preschool
  • Provided state funds to support and expand existing services to families in need
  • Began in fall of 1999 (32 grantees)
  • Ended in spring of 2001 (66 grantees)
  • Eligible programs included both MSRP and Head Start
  • Final Report of the Michigan Full-day Preschool Program Comparison Study conducted by High/Scope Educational Research Foundation in 2004 [PDF]
    
• All Students Achieve Program—Parent Involvement and Education (ASAP-PIE)
  • Michigan Department of Education grant program
  • Served Michigan parents of children birth to 5 years of age
  • 2001 legislature allocated $45 million for 3 years, but the last year of funding of eliminated due to economic crises and revenue reductions
  • Services were designed to enhance parenting skills, promote positive parent-child interaction, and provide learning opportunities to promote children’s intellectual, physical, social, and emotional growth.
  • All Students Achieve Program—Parent Involvement and Education (ASAP-PIE) Final Evaluation Report (2004) [PDF]