More Michigan 3-Year-Olds to Gain Access to Free, High-Quality PreK Through Strong Beginnings Expansion

State-funded pilot program will grow from 19 to 31 intermediate school districts for the 2026-27 school year, serve 58% more children

LANSING, Mich. – Hundreds more children will have access to free, high-quality prekindergarten before age four as Michigan's Strong Beginnings pilot program expands to additional communities across the state.

The program builds on Michigan’s PreK for All strategy by giving eligible 3-year-olds an additional year of early learning that helps prepare them for success in kindergarten and beyond.

"Every child deserves a strong start, and we know that high-quality early learning experiences can have a lasting impact on a child's future success," said Dr. Beverly Walker-Griffea, of the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential (MiLEAP). "By expanding Strong Beginnings to additional communities, Michigan is helping more children build the foundational skills they need to thrive in school while providing families with valuable support during a critical stage of development. This investment in early learning opportunities for 3-year-olds helps strengthen the pathway to kindergarten and ensures more children are prepared to enter school ready to learn."

Strong Beginnings provides developmentally appropriate, play-based learning experiences that help children build social-emotional, language, literacy, and early learning skills before entering kindergarten. Small class sizes, certified early childhood educators, family engagement supports, and strong connections to community resources are key components of the model that help children thrive while supporting families.

The expansion is expected to increase the program's reach from 476 children across 34 classrooms during the 2025-26 school year to approximately 750 children across 50 classrooms during the 2026-27 school year – an estimated 58% increase in children served. New classrooms will open in Allegan, Clare, Clinton, Delta, Genesee, Huron, Jackson, Macomb, Marquette, Montcalm, Ottawa, Saginaw, Sanilac, Shiawassee, St. Joseph, Washtenaw, and Wexford counties, expanding Strong Beginnings from 19 to 31 ISDs across Michigan.

By providing reliable access to high-quality early learning, Strong Beginnings helps families pursue their goals while ensuring children receive the developmental support they need during the critical early years. Families with children in 3-year-old programs save an average of nearly $16,000 per year per child on early learning costs. Nearly 90% of participating families said the Strong Beginnings program helped them work more hours, look for employment, improve their health, or pursue education and career training opportunities. 

Initially launched in 2020 with support through federal Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge funding, the program has continued to grow thanks to bipartisan state and federal early childhood investments. The program serves children from families with incomes up to 250% of the federal poverty level, which is approximately $82,500 annually for a family of four, as well as children who may benefit from additional early learning supports.

As part of the MiLEAP’s commitment to supporting children from birth through career, Strong Beginnings also advances Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Every Child Reads initiative by helping children develop the early language, vocabulary, communication, and literacy skills that are critical to becoming strong readers and successful learners. The program also serves as a companion to Michigan’s nationally recognized Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP), creating a continuum of early learning opportunities for children and families.

"Research consistently shows that early learning experiences matter, and a two-year prekindergarten experience can be especially powerful for all children," said Emily Laidlaw, MiLEAP deputy director overseeing the Office of Early Education. "Strong Beginnings helps children develop language, literacy, social-emotional, and problem-solving skills while also building strong partnerships with families. Expanding access means more children will enter school ready to learn and ready to succeed."

The program is coordinated in partnership with the Clinton County Regional Educational Service Agency (CCRESA), which supports implementation and continuous improvement efforts across participating communities.

"Strong Beginnings has demonstrated that high-quality prekindergarten experiences for 3-year-olds can make a meaningful difference for children and families," said Christine Callahan, director of the Office of Innovative Projects with CCRESA. "We are excited to support additional communities as they launch classrooms and build on the success we've already seen through this innovative model."

According to a recent evaluation conducted by Michigan State University, families participating in Strong Beginnings report strong results for their children with 97% saying their child developed new skills and abilities through the program and 96% reporting their child loves attending.

As part of the expansion, Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency (NEMSCA), which currently operates a Strong Beginnings classroom in Midland County, plans to open one new Strong Beginnings classroom in Sanilac County and another in Huron County for the 2026-27 school year.

"As a longtime Head Start provider, we've seen how high-quality early learning experiences help children build confidence, strengthen language and social-emotional skills, and prepare for success in school," said Tricia Grifka, early childhood services director for NEMSCA. "Strong Beginnings provides families with an additional year of support during a critical stage of development, and we're excited to expand access to more children and families in our region."

"Strong Beginnings has been a wonderful experience for my daughter and our family," said Tiffany James, whose daughter, Camille, 4, attends Northwest Michigan College Children’s Learning Center in Traverse City. "I've seen tremendous growth in her social skills and communication. She's more confident, more outgoing, and much better at expressing her feelings and needs. The teachers have created a welcoming environment where she feels comfortable learning, making friends, and being herself. It's been amazing to watch her grow."

Strong Beginnings serves as an important part of Michigan's broader early childhood education strategy by creating a pathway for children to participate in two consecutive years of high-quality learning and development before kindergarten.

Applications for new and continuing Strong Beginnings sites are currently under review, with participating ISDs expected to finalize local approvals in the coming weeks ahead of the 2026-27 school year.

To learn more about Michigan's early childhood education programs, including Strong Beginnings, visit MiLEAP's Early Learning and Family Supports page.

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About MiLEAP: 

Established by Governor Whitmer in 2023, MiLEAP’s mission is to improve outcomes from birth to postsecondary so anyone can ‘make it in Michigan’ with a solid education and a path to a good-paying job. To learn more about MiLEAP, go to Michigan.gov/MiLEAP.