In the State of the State address, Governor Whitmer made a big move for little children, proposing universal prekindergarten for all the State’s four-year-olds at no cost to families. Hope Starts Here commends this announcement and the Governor’s ongoing commitment to supporting parents’ access to high-quality, affordable early educational experiences that meet the diverse needs of children.
Governor Whitmer stated, “Every parent knows an early start is critical to their child’s future. Preschool for all would help every 4-year-old in Michigan get a great start to pursue their potential by the end of my second term and save their families an average of $10,000 a year.”
At HSH, we look forward to partnering with the Governor’s office to ensure that the expansion is equitable and that key workforce and other challenges in the early childhood sector are also addressed.
Equitable expansion of prekindergarten means ensuring the most vulnerable and high-needs children and families are supported first. We will work with the State to engage in targeted outreach to early education providers, families, and communities to ensure a diverse range of voices are reflected in the expansion, thus ensuring that the rollout meets the needs of all families.
Implementing universal prekindergarten over the next four years is essential to building a comprehensive early care and education system in the State. The Governor must also commit to investments that support the care of children from birth to age three and take steps to support the early childhood workforce.
We applaud the Governor for taking this critical step and welcome the opportunity to partner to ensure the most vulnerable and high-needs children and communities are supported through this investment. You can learn about the State of the State address here and more about the 2024 budget here.