MECC to continue to offer free preschool through GSRP in new Klager location
The Washtenaw County Office of Community and Economic Development (OCED) recently released the the Washtenaw Opportunity Index. This index uses five key data sources to map equity and opportunity in Washtenaw County: health, education, job access, economic vitality, and neighborhood safety and stability. One of the many statistics it provided is the percentages of 3 & 4 year olds enrolled in preschools. In the Manchester area, which is overall designated as a “low” opportunity area in the county, the percentage is about 33%. In neighborhoods designated as “very high” opportunity in Ann Arbor, the percentages run from 50% to 65%.
The opportunity does exist for families who qualify to send their children to preschool in Manchester for free through the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). Up through the end of this current school year, the program was housed in the Ackerson building at 410 City Road, but as part of the district’s new building configuration plan, the GSRP classroom, along with the rest of the Manchester Early Childhood Center, will move to Klager Elementary for start of the 2018-2019 school year.
There are a number of qualifications children must meet to participate in GSRP. Eligible families must reside within Washtenaw County. The child must have a birthdate between 9.02.2013 and 9.01.2014. Families must also have income between 0-250% of the Federal Poverty Level. Some families will qualify based on other factors, so it is recommended that all interested parents complete an interest form, found on the website www.washtenawpreschool.org.
Manchester Community Schools had been offering free preschool for qualified children through GSRP and HeadStart. Washtenaw County, who administers HeadStart, is redistributing free preschool opportunities throughout the county for this coming year. While Manchester will be losing its HeadStart slots, the county will be replacing those with GSRP slots, keeping the number of Manchester students the school district can enroll in preschool for free the same overall. Jennifer Mayes, Klager Elementary School’s principal explained, “HeadStart is a county-based program. After looking at the data and needs of families across Washtenaw County, the WISD saw a greater need for those HeadStart slots in other locations. Plus, we were filling them with families who didn’t truly qualify for those services economically. So, to serve the truly disadvantaged families of the county, Manchester’s slots were pulled–along with a few other slots in different locations–and placed where they were needed most.” She continued, “Because Manchester and the WISD did not want to see a fewer families served, we’ve been given additional GSRP slots equivalent to the number of HeadStart spots that were pulled.”
Research supports the use of high quality preschool programs to help children arrive in Kindergarten with the skills they need to be successful students. While Manchester was rated as low over all on the opportunity index, other areas of Washtenaw were rated even lower.
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