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District reports growth in early-childhood programs and rising demand for GSRP classrooms
Summary
Presenters told the board that the district expanded free GSRP classrooms this year (from 8 to 18), is serving hundreds of preschool-age children and has more than 400 families interested for 2026–27; staff asked for more space and said programs are funded through Wayne County Act 18 and per-pupil allotments.
District early-childhood staff presented program highlights to the board showing substantial recent growth and a push to expand access.
Presenters said the district increased free preschool (GSRP) classrooms from 8 to 18 and that those classrooms served approximately 324 students this year, up from about 140 the prior year; administrators said the program is fully funded through Wayne County Act 18 per-pupil allotments and that the district provides additional staffing and supports. EarlyON (birth-to-3) services and expanded inclusion options were also described as part of a continuum of early-childhood services.
“Through high quality instruction, inclusive practices, early intervention, and strong family partnerships, the program supports the diverse needs of all learners,” an early-childhood presenter said while summarizing assessment results and growth in developmental domains. Presenters showed Teaching Strategies GOLD data indicating overall gains across six developmental domains and said plans include expanding GSRP from 18 to 20 classrooms if space and staffing can be secured.
Board members asked whether the district has enough classroom space and staff to support anticipated enrollment; presenters said staff capacity exists but classroom placement is the limiting factor and that the district is working on locating appropriate spaces and reallocating programs as needed. Officials also said the program served more than 850 children ages 0–5 when counting all early-childhood offerings and that there were 409 families on the interested list for the 2026–27 GSRP year.
Next steps: Staff will continue work on placement plans, partnerships with the food-and-nutrition department to provide meals in preschool classrooms, and exploration of a district early-childhood hub to support staff collaboration and expand access. The board asked for follow-up materials about the number of high-school students earning related associate degrees and further details about placement and staffing plans.
