November 2011 News
United Way of Washtenaw County Awarded $199,050 Grant from PNC Foundation to Create Financial Education Program for Preschoolers
Ann Arbor, Mich, Nov. 15, 2011 - The United Way of Washtenaw County have been awarded a $199,050 grant from the PNC Foundation to teach area children lessons in spending, sharing and saving and equip parents to reinforce the lessons at home. PNC provided the funding in support of Grow Up Great, its bilingual program in early childhood education.
The United Way of Washtenaw County will provide professional development for teachers to reach forty preschools, 600 children, and more than 1,000 family members in becoming educated about good financial health.
"Through this grant from PNC, we can reach children in Washtenaw County at an early age and help establish smart habits that will last a lifetime," said Sandra R. Rupp, President of United Way of Washtenaw County.
"Extensive research shows the return on investments in high-quality early education is significant and long lasting - positively impacting our children, society and economy," said PNC Regional President Ric DeVore. "Through this financial education initiative with Success by 6 and United Way of Washtenaw County, we can help young children in our region better understand that everything has value and show parents how to turn everyday moments into financial learning experiences for their kids." For more information, please visit www.pncgrowupgreat.com.
Legislative update - $70 million Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge
Michigan is among 37 applicants vying for $500 million in early childhood funds through the federal Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge. If Michigan were selected, the state would receive $70 million over four years. Funds will be distributed to states "that are leading the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and comprehensive early learning education reform," according to the challenge's website. Winning states will be notified on or before December 31. A team of early childhood experts headed by Joan Blough, Vice President of Great Start System Development and Evaluation for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation put Michigan's application together.
With over 50 percent of the state's children falling into the category of high needs, the grant offers the potential to fundamentally alter the lives of a generation of children. Michigan citizens, the private sector, the state's foundations, and the state's Republican and Democratic leaders have intentionally put the foundational infrastructure in place allowing Michigan to put forward a strong application during one of the darkest and most difficult economic times any state has ever faced. No other state has done more to build a comprehensive early childhood system with more limited resources, nor achieved so much in so little time. Michigan and its leaders are ready, willing and able to deliver on this unprecedented opportunity, according to the application's authors.
A2Y Chamber urges businesses to support Early Childhood Investment
written by Andy LaBarre, Vice President / Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti Regional Chamber
The A2Y Chamber is committed to ensuring that early childhood investment and education is a top priority for our business community. Our November Public Policy Committee featured several prominent advocates for early childhood investment. For every dollar we spend to ensure that children have the necessary educational, nutritional and social development in their early years, the return on investment ranges from 7:1 to 17:1 in increased social productivity and reduced social costs. From direct giving, to volunteering, to education and advocacy, businesses will play a vital role in helping Washtenaw County to continue to improve our efforts to ensure that all our children have the resources they need to thrive in their early lives and flourish as adults.
Business Ask for November - Add a link to Washtenaw Success by Six to your website
Early Childhood in the News
Early childhood is at the top of the agenda for business leaders, politicians, pundits and educators. Check out a sampling of the best local and national thought provokers...
Investment in preschool education will net a better return than in manufacturing and retailing, study finds Investing in quality early childhood education is an important but often overlooked economic strategy, one that could potentially generate billions of dollars for Michigan's economy and create up to 58,000 new jobs, according to a report released Tuesday. Click for full article...
Michigan business leaders tout economic benefits of early learning investments
KALAMAZOO - Early care and education programs generate $1.2 billion in economic activity for Michigan, employ over 27,000 workers and improve the state's future workforce, according to a report from America's Edge, a national group of business leaders who work to strengthen businesses and the economy through proven investments in children.
Occupy the Classroom
Most of the proposed remedies involve changes in taxes and regulations, and they would help. But the single step that would do the most to reduce inequality has nothing to do with finance at all. It's an expansion of early childhood education.
Read the full article from the New York Times...
Gov. Rick Snyder's Office of Great Start will have long-term payoffs (guest commentary)
Sean Welsh, PNC's regional president, discusses why West Michigan leaders are stepping up to make early childhood investment a priority.
