Early Childhood Digest
The Latest Early Childhood Developments by Wayne RESA
Early Childhood Services Department at Wayne Regional Educational Service Agency (Wayne RESA)
The Early Childhood Services Department oversees high-quality preschool education opportunities across Wayne County to include the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for eligible four-year-old children and the Strong Beginnings pilot for eligible three-year-old children.
Notes from the Executive Director
Greetings Wayne County!
Hoping everyone is having a great start to this school year for those that have already opened. It's certainly a busy time of year as you welcome or prepare to welcome PreK children into their classrooms!!
This digest has a few key reminders and updates that I especially want to highlight:
1. GSRP Implementation Manual Updates are available. These changes have not been updated via MDE's website, but will be soon. Links to each updated section can be found below.
2. Enrollment - Although we hope you have achieved full enrollment by October 1st, please know that you can continue to enroll to fill your allotted slots! We will continue to monitor how enrollment is progressing ahead of the MSDS submission in November.
3. Over-income Contract Language - Please note that WRESA is providing a letter with an update to the language in your contract addressing over-income information. See a copy of this in the section below.
Best wishes,
Dr. Sophia Lafayette-Lause
Enrollment Reporting as of 09/30 due via Google Form by Fri. 10/07/22
Once again, we are collecting current enrollment numbers from all Wayne County GSRP sites.
Please select your program from the drop-down menu and submit the total number of enrolled GSRP children, as of Friday, 09/30/22.
All programs must self-report in this survey; if you do not have any children enrolled for the upcoming school year, please input ‘0’.
The survey form is now open for responses and will close at 5PM on 10/07/22.
GSRP Implementation Manual - UPDATED for 22-23
Below, you will find all the sections and resources that have been updated for this year.
The new information is highlighted in blue for your ease of reference.
- GSRP Implementation Manual-Updated Sections:
Recruitment and Enrollment
Enrollment : Keep Enrolling!!!
Although we understand your contract mentions an October 1st deadline for full enrollment, we recognize that programs need more time. Continue enrolling!!! We will monitor programs individually to ascertain how you are doing. Please contact your Early Childhood Consultant for questions and assistance.
New 2022-2023 Quintile Information
Please note that a family above 250% of the poverty line is considered over-income. Your program can enroll up to 15% of those families, but must still utilize the prioritization process.
Over-Income Contract Language Adjustment
Head Start MOU's
Wayne RESA has secured Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with each Head Start partner for the 2022-2023 school year that covers all Wayne County GSRP's. Please send any Head Start referral/release forms to your Head Start partner as soon as you receive them.
COVID Test Kits Available for Eligible Early Childhood Education Centers
In an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 amongst daycare and Early Childhood Education (ECE) center programs, MDHHS, in partnership with the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, has made it a priority to provide these programs with the necessary testing kits. The updated CDC guidance can help schools and ECE programs remain open and assist in creating a safe learning environment. One mitigation strategy is to utilize COVID-19 testing.
All daycare and Early Childhood Education center programs must abide by the following Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) criteria to receive Antigen Point of Care (POC) COVID-19 test kits and/or Antigen Over the Counter (OTC) COVID-19 test kits:
To receive Antigen Point of Care COVID-19 test kits:
• Daycare/ECE must be licensed with the State of Michigan.
• Daycare/ECE must have a CLIA Waiver.
• Consent form signed by parent for aged 5 to 17 years to receive POC testing on site.
• Daycare/ECE center must be open and operational at time of request to receive COVID-19 test kits.
To receive Antigen Over the Counter COVID-19 test kits:
• Daycare/ECE must be licensed with the State of MI.
• Daycare/ECE center must be open and operational at time of request to receive COVID-19 test kits.
The ordering form for daycares and ECEs will open October 1, 2022
Daycare & Early Childhood Education Center COVID-19 Test Order Form
Please email MDHHS-COVIDTestingSupport@michigan.gov with any questions.
