From Our Partners at the Michigan Department of Education:
The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) is seeking public input on its application for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDB B-5) opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
“We need input from parents, providers, and partners to make this a successful grant application,” said Interim State Superintendent Sheila Alles. “This application includes updating a strategic plan, based on a needs assessment that identifies strategies to improve collaboration, coordination, and the overall quality of programs and services, and we’re seeking public input for that.”
MDE has designed a brief online survey to engage stakeholders for their input. Parents, providers and stakeholders are encouraged to provide their input through the survey by October 12, 2018 at the following link: https://www.
Those taking the survey will be asked to share: what information you would like Michigan to collect during the needs assessment; how Michigan can better support parental choice during their child’s early years; and how to increase collaboration and improve transitions from early childhood care and education programs to elementary school.
The PDG B-5 Grant Opportunity is a competitive grant program designed to support states in coordination and aligning early childhood care and education programs, resources, and services that already exist, improving program quality; facilitating better partnerships between programs and improving the transition from early childhood programs into elementary school; increasing program operating and cost efficiencies; expanding parental choices and involvement; and ensuring families are linked to the full range of services they need.
The grant will focus on the existing resources in the state and supporting families to engage in their children’s education across the age span. The grant will not fund additional preschool “slots” for children. Michigan’s application will particularly focus on supports for children ages 0-3 years, which supports Michigan’s Top 10 in 10 Goals 1 and 5 to provide every child access to an aligned, high-quality P-20 system from early childhood to post-secondary attainment and ensuring that parents are engaged and supported partners in their child’s education.
Below are links to the full grant application and documents from a technical assistance webinar held on September 18:
https://ami.grantsolutions.gov/index.cfm?switch=foa&fon=HHS-2018-ACF-OCC-TP-1379
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/occ/pdg_b_5_applicant_training_09_18_2018.pdf
In addition, a dedicated email address will collect questions and thoughts through October 11. That email address is: MDE-PDG-B-5-Comment@michigan.gov.
