Investing in early childhood education is an investment in our community’s future.

Change the first five years and you change everything .
Decades of research in education and early childhood development show that effective early childhood education has long-term benefits – not only for children and their families, but for our society as a whole.

Key findings of the High/Scope Perry Preschool Project show that:

• Children who receive high quality early childhood education are more likely to succeed – in school and in life. They need fewer special education services, complete a higher level of schooling, and are more productive adults - with higher monthly incomes, higher rates of home ownership, and fewer social services.
• For every dollar invested in early childhood education programs and training, communities save as much as $17 – through reduced educational and social services and gains in productivity.

Launched in 2006, Washtenaw Success by Six is working to ensure that every child in Washtenaw County will start school ready to succeed -  by providing a coordinated system that ensures all families with small children have easy access to a variety of resources and support: health insurance, quality childcare, and quality preschool programs.

Success by Six also provides training to hundreds of childcare providers in our region - whether a friend, neighbor, relative or licensed day care center - so they have the resources and tools they need to support children through the first six years of their lives.

To date AAACF grants have provided more than $230,000 to support Washtenaw Success by Six and its initiatives:

• A $30,000 grant in 2007 improved access to training and support for hundreds of  home daycare providers – friends, families and neighbors.
• A $196,000 grant from Pfizer’s legacy gift has allowed Success by Six to provide important training to more than 320 child care providers in our area. Training in challenging behaviors, speech and language development, developmental delay and cultural competency give care-givers the tools they need to provide the understanding and support all young children need to thrive.
• A $4,500 grant from the Ypsilanti Area Community Fund to support  the Ypsilanti Imagination Library - a collaborative parnership between Success by Six, Washtenaw County Head Start, and the Literacy Coalition of Washtenaw County.  Launched in April, 2010, the Ypsilanti Imagination Library has enrolled more than 1,350 local children in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a national program that encourages young families to read by delivering a new book each month to a child's home.

To learn more about Washtenaw Success by Six.

To view a video on why their work is important.