LANSING - Early Childhood Investment Corporation staffers and contractors got a chance to play Santa Claus last week, putting together gift and care packages for Lansing-area children.
EAST LANSING - Hundreds of early childhood advocates vowed this week to prevent state lawmakers from putting programs for young children at the head of the line (read full 'Never Again' paper here) next year when it comes to budget cuts.
EAST LANSING - Creating a single place within state government to coordinate early childhood programs and funding should be a top priority, the state's top early childhood advocates said this week.
Van Tol wins first ever Great Start Fierce Heart Award
That initiative was among the components of what advocates called their "Fiscal Year 2011 Early Childhood Policy Agenda"...
The Early Childhood Investment Corporation was founded in 2005 to be the state's focal point for information and investment in early childhood in Michigan. Among its tasks: Build a state-wide system of programs and supports for children birth to 5 and their parents, and as part of that effort lead the state's federal child care quality efforts. Why? Because child care is a critical key to early learning and development of young children.
Fifty-five Great Start Collaboratives serve as the local infrastructure for the Great Start system. These local groups of caring parents, educators, business and community leaders, clergy, law enforcement, philanthropic organizations, local public agencies and others are the "knowledge leaders" and "change agents" for young children and their families.
At the end of the day, Great Start is all about Michigan's children and families. So to inform the work of the collaboratives, 55 Great Start Parent Coalitions serve as the passionate local volunteers who provide education to community and state leaders about what's needed and the importance of investing in young children.
What is Great Start CONNECT? It's an on-line system of early learning resources, including a new database of licensed/registered child care and early education programs in the great state of Michigan.
