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More than half of Michigan’s 4-year-olds enrolled in free preschool programs this year, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday, touting the record enrollment as she seeks support for her goal of universal preschool.
More than 47,500 kids enrolled in the state’s Great Start Readiness Program, or GSRP, this school year, according to early reports from intermediate school districts. That’s a nearly 24% increase since the governor announced her plan in 2023 to gradually move to a universal prekindergarten initiative. When it is fully implemented, all 4-year-olds in the state will be eligible for the program, regardless of income.
The record enrollment in the program marked a step toward Whitmer’s goal of offering free preschool — one of the last remaining education policy priorities of her administration.
“In this year’s budget, we can build on this momentum to set up more kids for lifelong success and save even more families more money,” Whitmer said at a preschool in Livonia.
(The figure that Whitmer cited — that 56% of Michigan 4-year-olds were enrolled in free preschool this year — includes kids enrolled in federally funded Head Start, developmental kindergarten, and early childhood special education.)
The governor proposed entirely removing GSRP’s income eligibility requirements for families in next year’s state budget.
The proposal would also change the GSRP funding structure for local programs to be more aligned with the number of students applying, instead of just the number the program is currently able to serve.
Whitmer also proposed continuing some funds, including $28 million for transportation for GRSP students, $25 million in start-up grants to attract new providers, and $61 million to expand pre-K to 3-year-olds in the Strong Beginnings program.
Securing the funding for all of Whitmer’s initiatives may be a challenge this legislative session, as Democrats no longer have a trifecta over the state government. House Republicans approved a bare bones budget proposal last week — a move some Democrats called a ploy to get an advantage in budget negotiations. Republican lawmakers said they will flesh out a full funding plan later in the process.
While the governor announced her news in Livonia, hundreds of early childhood advocates were in Lansing as part of Early Childhood Capitol Day. Some said universal preschool isn’t a top priority when the early childhood system is struggling with inadequate funding and low pay.
The main challenge early educators say continues to make preschool for all a challenge is a shortage of teachers.
Angela Mentink, director of Early Impressions Preschool and Childcare in Jackson, said during a panel that legislators should look at what has worked in other states to attract and retain early educators, such as a pay equity fund or tax credits.
“There are options out there, and we need to come up with a plan really quickly before the crisis becomes any worse,” she said.
Michigan early childhood teachers often live in poverty, according to a 2022 report by the Michigan League For Public Policy. The most recently available salary analysis of the program shows GSRP teachers made a median annual salary of $43,094 in 2021-22.
Furqan Khaldun, the partnership director for Detroit Champions for Hope, said at the advocacy day legislators need to be intentional about the way the state attains pre-K for all.
Under the current child care system, Khaldun said the 4-year-olds in preschool subsidize the costlier care of infants to 3-year-olds in the same center. When those 4-year-olds are moved out of a child care center to a GSRP school, “it really jeopardizes the whole childcare system,” he added.
“We have to make sure that while we praise and want the pre-K for all, which is a good thing, we want to make sure there’s not any unintended consequences that could wreck the whole child care system,” he said.
Rachelle McKissick-Harris, a mother of three from Grand Rapids, said she went to Lansing to advocate for more support for families before kids get to preschool.
“I think universal pre-K is a good structure, but it needs to stretch beyond that,” she said. “It really needs to be universal early childhood.”
Hannah Dellinger covers K-12 education and state education policy for Chalkbeat Detroit. You can reach her at hdellinger@chalkbeat.org.
