Great Start Readiness Program State Evaluation

Mchigan's Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is a state-funded preschool program for four-year-old children with factors that place them at risk for educational failure. The program provides high-quality academic and social-emotional experiences that prepare Michigan children for kindergarten.

Our team of researchers at Michigan State University is conducting a longitudinal evaluation of the GSRP. The goals are to:

• Support data-informed decision making
• Provide scientific evidence of the impacts of the state’s investment in GSRP

The maps on these pages provide detailed snapshots of GSRP for four-year-old children. Policymakers, program administrators, and other stakeholders can use these data to drive policy decisions and improve program quality.

In the 2020-2021 program year (the fourth year of the evaluation), GSRP funding was awarded to 56 independent school districts (ISDs): 52 ISDs and 2 consortia representing 4 ISDs. The ISDs oversaw subrecipients managing 1,192 sites and 2,287 classrooms. GSRP classrooms were available in 473 Michigan school districts. Of the 28,422 children served, 89% came from low-income families. The racial/ethnic breakdown is:

• 57% White (non-Hispanic)
• 24% Black
• 11% Hispanic/Latino
• 5% multiracial
• 2% Asian
• 1% American Indian/Alaska Native
• less than 1% Hawaiian/Pacific Islander