A recent hot topic lately has been all the cuts being made among the schools due to budget constraints. As parents, we are concerned about whether or not our children will be given the greatest learning potential amidst these cutbacks.

I'm thankful for programs like Great Start Collaborative-Oakland County and their mission to build a comprehensive early childhood system in Oakland County.

Recently I had an opportunity to attend a forum the non profit held to discuss the economic recession on educational services and the importance of funding for early development programs.

The Great Start Collaborative forum featured more than 70 parents and teachers as well as business and community leaders. The Waterford, Michigan event, “Their Future, Our Responsibility: A Community Forum on Young Children and Michigan’s Budget Priorities,” is the fourth of six community forums to be held across Michigan this spring. The public forums allow for local parents and residents to discuss the value of early childhood programs and the necessity of making them a priority.

There was a panel that spoke and addressed questions and concerns from the audience. The panel members included:

• Andy Heller, Communications Director for the Early Childhood Investment Corporation
• State Representative Tim Melton, D-Auburn Hills, who chairs the House Education Committee
• Dr. Vickie Markavitch, Superintendent of Oakland Schools
• Rebecca Barens, Branch Manager and Assistant Vice President for PNC Bank in Pontiac.

"The return on investment is clear:  Studies show that for every $1 invested in early childhood programs, between $4 and $17 is gained in benefits to the community and the economy,” said Donna Lackie, co-coordinator of the Great Start Collaborative-Oakland. “Cutting funding for these programs now is a short-term gain with huge long-term costs.”

Michigan was one of just a handful of states to cut early childhood programs last year – by as much as $200 million, according to some estimates. Great Start and other advocates fear the coming year could bring even more cuts. Cuts to pre-K development is not trimming fat, it's a procedure that will cost the state of Michigan dearly in the future. Ongoing cost burdens of not investing in school readiness will result in more financial needs in special education, higher dropout rates, juvenile corrections, child welfare and health costs.

If the state was serious about saving money, more funds would be instituted for pre-K development. Dr. Vicky Markavitch summarized the benefits of school-readiness development by saying that communities that receive free pre-school and pre-K development programs enjoy the benefits of fewer learning disabilities and higher MEAP scores. Great Start Collaborative cites the need for early childhood programs for the benefit of Michigan's future. The benefits and cost savings to the state last well beyond kindergarten. Successful students directly equate to: higher graduation rates, higher earnings and tax revenue by child and parent, reductions in welfare use, and increased adult productivity in the workforce. To sum it up, the first step on the path to economic recovery and prosperity in Michigan lies in the early development of our children.

Great Start Collaborative forum wasn't an opportunity to grandstand against politicians in Michigan putting more and more school programs on the chopping block. The message is to raise awareness and educate the community about the work they are doing to ensure quality education for Oakland County residents. The Great Start Collaborative has been avidly securing grants and federal funding supporting school readiness programs, parenting workshops, healthcare, and child care expulsion prevention projects. The forum was a great reminder to support local businesses investing in our children and investing in Michigan.

Great Start Collaborative work on securing funding and educating the public weren't the only topics discussed during the forum. The Great Start Collaborative and Great Start Parent Coalition is a grass-roots organization that gets to the direct needs of what parents, educators and civic leaders seek in early childhood education. They opened up the floor to the audience to address concerns.

One concern I noted is that parents don't always know what programs are available for their children, e.g. for disadvantaged children or special needs children. From a personal experience, my son's pediatrician was not helpful in diagnosing his autism and informing me what to look for. There was no checklist of questions asked of me to help me see that something might be wrong. And, when I determined for myself that something was wrong, I was told to wait 6 more months, rather than be given contact information to get help. Personally, I think the medical field needs to be responsible for educating parents about development and assistance. Parents have to take their children to the doctor, so getting the message there has the best chances of being the most effective. There is a need for standardization among all county pediatricians to make sure the needs of our children are met.

If these programs were to continue and the community were made aware of the services offered, we could potentially avoid the ongoing cost burden of not investing in school readiness for all disadvantaged children, which is estimated at $598 million per year!

I was happy this Great Start Collaborative forum was offered to the public. I feel it provided people a more personal, face-to-face opportunity to voice their concerns to Michigan’s elected officials.

For more on Great Start Collaborative-Oakland County and The Great Start Parent Coalition, please visit their website. www.greatstartforkids-oakland.org

Click here for more non profit organizations and charitable causes in Oakland County, Michigan.