The Midland County Great Start Collaborative values high quality, early childhood initiatives and the long term impact on a child’s success in school and in life. As a collaborative, we believe that two years of preschool with a high quality provider are key components to this success.
Funds dedicated to early childhood programs provide high returns on investment for families and for the community. According to researcher and author Tim Bartik in Investing In Kids, Proven early childhood investments, including high quality pre-k education for three and four year old children, promote productivity growth and job creation in the near term and cultivate a better future workforce. Early education programs enable children to become more creative, adaptable, team-ready and successful. Children show improved social and emotional skills, lower rates of grade repetition and special education placements, increased graduation rates, and higher earnings in adulthood.
In Midland County, scholarships for four year old preschool are offered through Head Start, Great Start Readiness Preschool, and private scholarships. The Midland County Great Start Collaborative has partnered with the Midland Area Community Foundation to establish the Midland County Childcare Scholarship Endowment Fund to offer scholarships to low income three year old children for the promotion of two years of high quality preschool. We partner with eight, high quality preschool sites throughout the county to offer scholarships to families.
To make an investment in the fund, please go to Midland Area Community Foundation and select “Midland County Preschool Education Assistance Endowment Fund” from the drop down menu.
We appreciate your partnership in investing in the future workforce of Midland County!
To apply for preschool assistance, please visit: www.michiganpreschool.org