This grant program is to help break the cycle of poverty and illiteracy by improving the educational opportunities of the nation's low-income families by integrating early childhood education, adult literacy or adult basic education, and parenting education into a unified family literacy program.  A district and a community organization must apply as a collaborative entity.  Increasing matching funds are required of the local grant program during the four-year grant cycle.

Office of Early Childhood Education & Family Services (517) 373-8483.

2009-2010 Even Start Competitive Application
Instructions  &  Forms  or  Forms  (Word format) 
Due March 20, 2009

Competitive Application TA PowerPoint slides

2009-2010 Even Start Continuation Application
Instructions    &  Forms    or  Forms  (Word format)
Due April 10, 2009

Continuation Application TA PowerPoint slides   

  Even Start References and Related Information

General and Federal References

• Even Start Glossary  
• Even Start Guidance   
• Even Start Guide to Quality   
• Even Start Program Elements  
• Even Start Self-Assessment from Guide to Quality  
• Even Start Statute  
• Frequently Asked Even Start Questions  
• Guidance on Unemployment Compensation
• Guidance on Retirement Compensation
• OMB Circular A-21   Cost Principles for Educational Institutions (5/10/2004)
• OMB Circular A-87   Cost Principles for State, Local and Indian Tribal Governments (5/10/2004)
• OMB Circular A-122   Cost Principles for Non-Profit Organizations (5/10/2004)
• Recommendations for Hours of Minimum Instruction for Intensive Even Start Services  
• References and Acronyms  
• Rental & Lease, Depreciation and Use Guidance  
• Support of Salaries and Wages

Michigan Even Start Program References

• 2009-2010 Even Start Grantees
• 2009-2010 Even Start Important Dates  
• 2009-2010 Even Start On-Site Monitoring
• 2009-2010 Income Eligibility Guidelines
• 2009-2010 Michigan Even Start Outcome Indicators  
• 2008-2009 Even Start Grantees  
• 2007-2008 Even Start Grantees
• 2006-2007 Even Start Grantees 
• Assessment Scores and Educational Functioning Levels - CASAS  
• Assessment Scores and Educational Functioning Levels - TABE  
• Calculation of PEP Scores for Final Data Report   
• Content Standards for GED and ESL
• Discontinuous Enrollment Q&A
• EFL Definitions 
• Even Start Compliance Monitoring Tool  
• Even Start Value in Michigan    
• Example of Even Start Project Implementation Improvement Plan   
• Federal and Michigan Guidance on Data Reporting  
• Michigan Even Start Highlights Fact Sheet 2004-2005  
• Michigan Even Start Highlights Fact Sheet 2005-2006  
• Michigan Even Start Three-Year Comparison (8/08)
• Michigan Public School Accounting Manual Appendix  (pages 25-32) 
• Program Status Criteria Interim Data Revised 08-09
• Value of Michigan Even Start Family Literacy Programs

Important Dates

• November 1, 2009 - Local Evaluator's Report due to MDE
• November 20, 2009 - Michigan Student Data System (MSDS) Early Childhood Collection Snapshot Date
• December 9, 2009 - MSDS Early Childhood Collection Certification Date
• February 1, 2010 - Interim Data Report available online
• February 1, 2010 - Michigan Even Start 2010-2011 Competitive Application available on web
• February 19, 2010 - Interim Data report DUE
• March 1, 2010 - Michigan Even Start 2010-2011 Continutation Application available on web and in MEGS
• March 19, 2010 - Michigan Even Start 2010-2011 Competitive Application due
• April 9, 2010 - Michigan Even Start 2010-2011 Continuation Application due
• June 15, 2010 - Final Data Report available online

Even Start Resources

Training Opportunities

• December 4-6, 2009 - Zero to Three - Annual National Training Institute, Dallas, TX
• December 4-8, 2009 - National Head Start Association - 26th Annual Parent Training Conference, San Jose, CA
• January 27-29, 2010 - Michigan Collaborative Early Childhood Conference, Dearborn
• February 3, 2010 - Michigan Even Start Consortium, Kellogg Center, East Lansing (Even Start grantees only)
• February 3-6, 2010 - National Association for Bilingual Education - Annual Conference, Denver, CO 
• March 9-13, 2010 - National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies - National Policy Symposium, Washington, DC
• March 20-22, 2010 - Michigan Reading Association (MRA) Annual Conference, Cobo Hall, Detroit
• March 25-27, 2010 - Michigan Association for the Education of Young Children Annual Conference, Grand Rapids
• April 11-13, 2010 - National Conference on Family Literacy, San Antonio, TX
• April 28, 2010 - Michigan Even Start Consortium, Kellogg Center, East Lansing (Even Start grantees only)
• May 3-8, 2010 - National Head Start Association - 37th Annual Head Start Conference, Dallas, TX
• June 6-9, 2010 - National Association for the Education of Young Children - National Institute for Early Childhood Professional Development, Phoenix, AZ
• December 10-14, 2010 - National Head Start Association - 27th Annual Parent Training Conference, Virginia Beach, VA 
• Early Childhood Conferences 2009  

Evaluation

• Common Elements for Local Evaluation   
• Even Start Guide to Local Evaluation - Draft
  The following files are available in PDF format only.
  Chapter 1   Background
  Chapter 2   Framework for Planning Even Start Family Literacy Program Evaluations
  Chapter 3   Participant Learning Outcomes
  Chapter 4   Refining the Program Design
  Chapter 5   Program Content and Implementation
  Chapter 6   Program Intensity and Participant Attendance
  Chapter 7   Learning Milestones
  Chapter 8   Selecting an Independent Evaluator
  Chapter 9   Working with an Evaluator
  Chapter 10   Planning a Focused Inquiry
  Chapter 11   Reporting and Using Evaluation Findings
  Chapter 12   State Coordinator's Role in Local Evaluations
  Glossary  
• Slides from the Local Evaluation Workshop of 2-15-06

English Language Learners

• Educational Functioning Level Descriptors-Adult Basic Education Levels
• Practitioner Toolkit: Working with Adult English Language Learners   
• Locally-Developed ESL Feedback Form  

Adult Literacy and Education

Early Childhood Education

• Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Prekindergarten   
• Early Childhood Standards of Quality for Infants and Toddlers  
• Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Fourth Edition (PPVT IV) Webinar 10-08  
• School Personnel Guide for Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect  

Parent Education

• NCFL Literacy Calendar  
• Parenting Counts Group Work     
• Parent Education Profile