Expanding Pre-K Access: Michigan's Pilot Program in Home-Based Child Care Settings
Lori Legger runs a child-care center called The Sky’s the Limit Family Childcare, where she teaches young children about living and nonliving things. Her center is participating in Michigan’s new pilot program to offer no-cost pre-K in home-based child care settings. This program allows any 4-year-old to attend pre-K for free, including children in home care settings. The pilot program aims to support up to 75 to 80 children aged 3 or 4 to attend preschool with funding for coaching, curriculum, materials, and assessments provided.
Home-based child care providers are seen as an untapped resource in early childhood education. With over 3,000 group homes or family child care sites in Michigan, organizations like the Community Coordinated Child Care Association of the Upper Peninsula are working to connect parents to child care options and train early child care workers. The hope is that children in home settings will perform as well on assessments as those in child care centers or schools.
Michigan’s pre-K efforts have expanded to include free pre-K through the Great Start Readiness Program, available to all 4-year-olds in the state. This initiative is part of Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s “pre-K for all” effort to increase access to quality early childhood education. Michigan ranks 17th in the country for access to 4-year-olds in pre-K and meets all 10 benchmarks for quality early education.
The state is also funding programs like MiEarly Apprentice to encourage more individuals to teach preschoolers. This program allows paraprofessionals to earn a college degree and teaching certificate to lead early childhood classrooms. Home providers like Legger, who have child development credentials and undergo regular training, play a crucial role in providing quality early education.
Parents like Taylor Provost appreciate the option to enroll their children in home-based pre-K programs like Legger’s. Provost’s son attends Legger’s program, saving her $2,600 in child care costs. The flexibility and individualized attention offered by home providers are valued by families, and including them in the state’s pre-K efforts is seen as beneficial for children’s learning experiences.
As Michigan continues to expand access to pre-K and improve the quality of early education, programs like the pilot initiative in home-based child care settings are paving the way for more inclusive and effective early childhood education opportunities. Legger and other home providers are excited to be part of shaping young children’s educational journeys and building strong relationships with families.