That children are born healthy, thriving, developmentally on track, and prepared to succeed CHARLEVOIX – Every three years, the Michigan Department of Education Office of Great Start requires Great Start Collaboratives across the state to update their local-level, early childhood system strategic plans.  The Great Start Collaborative of Charlevoix, Emmet and Northern Antrim Counties recently completed and shared its strategic plan with stakeholders, community members, and regional leaders at a meeting in Charlevoix Oct.17, 2023.  “After surveys, focus groups, stakeholder conversations, and thoughtful consideration, the Great Start Collaborative of Charlevoix, Emmet, and Northern Antrim Counties created a strategic plan to enhance our early childhood system, while achieving the outcomes shared by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Great Start,” said GSC Director, Savanah Cool.  As the local early childhood system building bodies, Great Start Collaboratives are charged with conducting a community needs and strengths assessment, and developing an early childhood action agenda with clearly defined goals and objectives that ensure four required outcomes are made possible for all children:  children are born healthy;  children are healthy, thriving, and developmentally on track from birth to third grade; children are developmentally ready to succeed in school at the time of school entry; children are prepared to succeed in 4th grade and beyond by reading proficiently at the end of third grade.  In developing its goals for 2024-26, the local GSC will center its work on the following, according to Cool:  Early childhood organizations will have effective communication, coordination, and collaboration.  Families will have an awareness of services available, and be able to access those services effectively.  Families will have increased knowledge of child development and an understanding of the importance of early intervention.  Additionally, after...

In fall 2017, voters throughout Char-Em ISD approved a 10-year, 1.0-mill Regional Enhancement Millage to benefit students in all 11 public school districts within Char-Em. Now at the five-year mark of the 10-year collection, local district superintendents are sharing how the REM has impacted their districts. “One of the biggest benefits of a Regional Enhancement Millage is that each district is able to determine how to spend the money they receive. Each district receives the same per pupil amount, multiplied by the number of students attending their district. Then it is up to district administrators to decide where to spend the dollars to meet their needs,” said Scott Koziol, Char-Em ISD Superintendent. “That was one key point that really resonated with voters: district independence.” Char-Em ISD serves as the fiduciary of the REM, but 100 percent of the revenue flows back out to local districts at a per-pupil rate, which is currently $824 per student. Read the complete release about the five-year REM update and learn about how each of the 11 local districts is using the millage to improve their educational environments