Preschool for 3 and 4 year olds
Free or Low-Cost Preschool Options
Enrolling your child in preschool will help them succeed in grade school, high school – and in life! In fact, over 85% of all brain development happens in the first 5 years of life. Your child deserves the chance to grow and thrive, starting right now.
Visit our GSRP Enrollment Dashboard for details on addresses, total seats available, current enrollment, and waiting lists.
Great Start to Quality
Great Start to Quality helps Michigan families find quality child care, preschool and early childhood education in their area. Please visit the Great Start to Quality website for more information on Education, Star Ratings on Centers, etc.
https://www.greatstarttoquality.org/
Help Me Grow Calhoun Preschool Application
Fill out the linked application above for preschool opportunities.
Three Year Olds (children who are 3 by September 1st of current year):
Strong Beginnings: 3 year Old
Strong Beginnings is a free, high-quality, and research-backed preschool pilot program in Michigan specifically designed for three-year-old children from low-income families or those facing other risk factors. Modeled after the state's Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for four-year-olds, it operates in two locations within the Calhoun ISD service area.
Head Start:
Head Start is a preschool program for parents that is funded by the federal government. It provides comprehensive services for families including quality preschool at various locations in our area for families that earn up to 100% of the federal poverty level in terms of annual income. Locally, Head Start is operated by Community Action. Complete an application at Help Me Grow Calhoun
Four Year Olds (children who are 4 by Sept 1st of current year):
Great Start Readiness Program:
Is a state-funded program for families. Locally, GSRP is administered by the PreK for all/Great Start to Readiness Program within the Calhoun County Intermediate School District.
PreK for all/GSRP is a 4 day per week classroom-based experience which begins the third week of September and continues through mid-May. It helps to prepare children for kindergarten. PreK for all/GSRP will help children get ready for school, increases attendance and reduces the number of children who repeat a grade by almost one-half. PreK for all/GSRP classrooms use the HighScope curriculum. Most of our PreK for all/GSRP classrooms are school day but a few part-day classrooms are available.
Head Start:
Head Start is a preschool program for parents that is funded by the federal government. It provides quality preschool services at various locations in our area for families that earn up to 100% of the federal poverty level in terms of annual income. Locally, Head Start is operated by Community Action.
Head Start is a comprehensive preschool program that also provides access to oral and physical health services, and social services. Every Head Start program has a health manager, often a nurse, to complete any missing components of the required physical exam. Head Start also conducts screenings and provides follow-up with nutrition, socialization, and mental health counseling.