HURON COUNTY GREAT START COLLABORATIVE
The Huron County Great Start Collaborative (GSC) is a partnership of parents, community leaders and other concerned citizens who work together to ensure that every child in Huron County reaches her or his potential and enters Kindergarten safe, healthy, prepared for learning, and eager to succeed in school and in life. The GSC is committed to creating a system of resources and supports that assist families in providing a great start for their children.
The Collaborative's core responsibilities include:
-Providing a defined and accountable set of resources and services for children birth to age five and their families.
-Coordinating existing early childhood programs.
-Expanding high-quality child care capacity.
-Seeking additional public and private support for the local early childhood system.
-Promoting community awareness of early childhood issues.
-Advocating for quality early childhood programs and services.
-Evaluating the system on the basis of expected outcomes.
In 2009, the GSC conducted a county-wide assessment of early childhood services and supports and completed a stretegic planning process. Through this work, the Huron County GSC Action Agenda was developed which in turn became the guiding document of the great start work in Huron County. The GSC is committed to on-going data, assets and needs analysis and revising their workplan based on findings. This group believes that by working together they can increase coordination, accountability, service delivery, and quality amongst programs, reduce duplication, and make the most of every dollar spent in early childhood.
Click here to view the Huron County GSC Action Agenda, April 1, 2010-March 30, 2013.
Click here to view the Huron County early childhood data indicators, October 2010.
Click here to view the Huron County GSC Strategic Plan, 2010-2013.
Click here to view the Status of Young Children in Huron County Report, July 2009.
Why is investing in early childhood so important?
Each year too many Michigan children - as many as one in three, according to a recent survey - enter kindergarten not ready to learn. Some have previously unidentified health problems. Some have social or emotional problems. Some have developmental or learning problems. For these children, not being ready for school becomes a life-long sentence of poor academic achievement, diminished expectations and limited opportunity. Thankfully, the negative impact of the majority of these health, developmental and learning difficulties can be minimized or even eliminated with early identification and intervention.
While state programs exist to address health, social-emotional, developmental and learning concerns of young children and their parents - local availability, access, capacity and quality varies tremendously. Each state agency approaches financing, policy development, program development and accountability differently. Past efforts to coordinate state government early childhood programs and build partnerships with the private sector have been difficult to sustain and have achieved limited success.
The general public is becoming increasingly aware of the unprecedented growth and development that occurs during the first five years of life, and the importance of those years to future school success, but public will to support a tax increase, for example, to increase early childhood investment, remains untested. Michigan has been fortunate over the past several years to have a cadre of state leaders, including the business and foundation communities, at the table with an unwavering determination to improve the school readiness of our youngest citizens. With the enormous economic challenges facing our state, they are determined to keep our state's youngest learners at the forefront of Michigan's priorities.
Children who start behind, stay behind. Children who are held back in school are more likely to drop out long-term. Children who dropout are at significant risk of becoming victims of, or instigators of, criminal behavior. Chronic physical and mental health issues that are left untreated often result in higher health care and/or special education costs. The research is clear: Getting kids off to a great start is just common sense. It is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.
Click here to view "The Time Is Now" video.
The Collaborative's core responsibilities include:
-Providing a defined and accountable set of resources and services for children birth to age five and their families.
-Coordinating existing early childhood programs.
-Expanding high-quality child care capacity.
-Seeking additional public and private support for the local early childhood system.
-Promoting community awareness of early childhood issues.
-Advocating for quality early childhood programs and services.
-Evaluating the system on the basis of expected outcomes.
In 2009, the GSC conducted a county-wide assessment of early childhood services and supports and completed a stretegic planning process. Through this work, the Huron County GSC Action Agenda was developed which in turn became the guiding document of the great start work in Huron County. The GSC is committed to on-going data, assets and needs analysis and revising their workplan based on findings. This group believes that by working together they can increase coordination, accountability, service delivery, and quality amongst programs, reduce duplication, and make the most of every dollar spent in early childhood.
Click here to view the Huron County GSC Action Agenda, April 1, 2010-March 30, 2013.
Click here to view the Huron County early childhood data indicators, October 2010.
Click here to view the Huron County GSC Strategic Plan, 2010-2013.
Click here to view the Status of Young Children in Huron County Report, July 2009.
Why is investing in early childhood so important?
Each year too many Michigan children - as many as one in three, according to a recent survey - enter kindergarten not ready to learn. Some have previously unidentified health problems. Some have social or emotional problems. Some have developmental or learning problems. For these children, not being ready for school becomes a life-long sentence of poor academic achievement, diminished expectations and limited opportunity. Thankfully, the negative impact of the majority of these health, developmental and learning difficulties can be minimized or even eliminated with early identification and intervention.
While state programs exist to address health, social-emotional, developmental and learning concerns of young children and their parents - local availability, access, capacity and quality varies tremendously. Each state agency approaches financing, policy development, program development and accountability differently. Past efforts to coordinate state government early childhood programs and build partnerships with the private sector have been difficult to sustain and have achieved limited success.
The general public is becoming increasingly aware of the unprecedented growth and development that occurs during the first five years of life, and the importance of those years to future school success, but public will to support a tax increase, for example, to increase early childhood investment, remains untested. Michigan has been fortunate over the past several years to have a cadre of state leaders, including the business and foundation communities, at the table with an unwavering determination to improve the school readiness of our youngest citizens. With the enormous economic challenges facing our state, they are determined to keep our state's youngest learners at the forefront of Michigan's priorities.
Children who start behind, stay behind. Children who are held back in school are more likely to drop out long-term. Children who dropout are at significant risk of becoming victims of, or instigators of, criminal behavior. Chronic physical and mental health issues that are left untreated often result in higher health care and/or special education costs. The research is clear: Getting kids off to a great start is just common sense. It is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do.
Click here to view "The Time Is Now" video.
The Huron County GSC is part of the state-wide Great Start initiative. There are 55 GSCs in Michigan working for a common vision. The Great Start effort is led by the Early Childhood Investment Corporation (ECIC), a private, not-for-profit Corporation in Lansing. Click on the Great Start logo above to connect to the ECIC website.
The Great Start system includes a state-wide child care/preschool provider data base and includes resources for parents as well. Click on the CONNECT button above to search for licensed child care or preschool programs by county or to view resources for parents. This data-based also serves as a resource for providers looking for training, coaching, resources, and serves as marketing tool.
