Early Childhood Educational Opportunities

Educational Opportunities

Parents of preschool aged children in Monroe County have options when deciding where to send their child(ren) to a preschool program. The MCISD is the single point of entry for preschool programs in Monroe County. The Universal Early Childhood Application below allows the MCISD early childhood staff, along with parents, to place the child into the appropriate educational setting. Please complete this application and a member of the MCISD Early Childhood Team will respond.

On-line Application - Early Childhood Programs Inquiry/Pre-Application

Early Childhood Continuity of Learning Plan

Build Up Michigan

Build Up Michigan is a statewide initiative of the Michigan Department of Education that helps families identify and support children ages 3–5 who may be experiencing developmental delays. The program connects families with free evaluations, early childhood special education services, and helpful resources so young learners can enter school ready to succeed.

Early On Michigan

Early On Michigan is the state’s early intervention system that supports infants and toddlers from birth to age 3 who have developmental delays or disabilities. It connects families with free evaluations, in-home services, and resources designed to strengthen early development and help children reach important milestones during their earliest years.

Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP)

The Great Start Readiness Program is a tuition FREE preschool that prepares children for kindergarten. Eligible students are children of Monroe County who attain age 4 by September 1st of the current school year. The program explores pre-reading, math and science skills, uses language for a variety of purposes including music and movement, investigates problem-solving and developing pre-social skills. The children learn to exercise large and small motor abilities.

The Great Start Readiness Program is funded by a grant from the Michigan Department of Education. The state has identified factors that may affect your child's education at any time in his/her kindergarten through 12th grade school year.

GSRP Student/Parent Handbook 2025-2026

Your child must meet two factors to be eligible for the program:

• Your family has low income

• Your child has a delay

• Your child has challenging behavior

• Your family's primary language is not English

• You do not have a high school diploma or GED

• You - or your child - has experienced abuse or neglect.

• Environmental risk factor(s) are present in the home.

Early Head Start

Early Head Start is a federally-funded community-based program for low-income families with infants and toddlers and for pregnant women. Through the Monroe County Intermediate School District, we provide a home-visiting program for expectant moms and families with children ages 0-3 throughout the community. Transportation assistance is also provided. 

Why do children need Early Head Start? Each child's experiences during his/her earliest months of growth and development are crucial in determining later success in school...and in life. The Early Head Start program helps parents to provide their children with nurturing, responsive care that promotes the best outcomes. Services can include help in selecting a high-quality child care provider while parents are at work or completing school, parent education regarding development and learning, assistance for caregivers to provide an enriching, safe environment, and support to help families access needed resources in the community. 

The Monroe County Intermediate School District's Early Head Start Program received its first federal review in April of 2011. For for the first year under the umbrella of the MCISD, we were pleased that the program was found to be in compliance with 99.998% of the 1,800 Head Start Performance Standards. Below is the Report to the Community, which includes program statistics and demographics.

Early Head Start & Head Start Handbook - 2025-2026

Head Start

Head Start is a federally funded preschool program that promotes the school readiness of children ages birth to five from families who meet income eligibility guidelines by enhancing their cognitive, social, and emotional development.

The Monroe County Head Start program will provide a learning environment that supports children's growth in the following domains:

• language and literacy;

• cognition and general knowledge;

• physical development and health;

• social and emotional development; and

• approaches to learning.

The Monroe County Head Start program will provide comprehensive services to enrolled children and their families, which include health, nutrition, social, and other services determined to be necessary by family needs assessments, in addition to education and cognitive development services. Head Start services are designed to be responsive to each child and family's ethnic, cultural, and linguistic heritage.