How can family child care homes in Michigan participate in the PreK for All home-based pilot? - post

This short guide helps small, home-based programs understand Michigan’s new PreK for All Home-Based Pilot. The state is testing a way to bring free, high-quality preschool into family child care homes so more 4-year-olds can attend PreK where they already feel safe. This pilot supports home-based #homebased providers with funding, coaching, and materials so families get free #PreK close to home in #Michigan and small businesses can grow. It’s a great chance for #providers to deepen their classroom practice and help more #families access preschool.

State requirements vary - check your state licensing agency. Below you’ll find step-by-step help, links to useful resources (we prioritize Michigan training and licensing info from ChildCareEd), and practical tips to avoid common mistakes. When we state facts about the pilot, we link to news and state announcements so you can read the original details. Ready? Let’s walk through what the pilot is, who can join, how to apply, what supports you can get, why it matters, and how to avoid pitfalls.

What is the PreK for All home-based pilot, and who can participate?

1) Who runs it: Family Child Care Network hub organizations were chosen to support providers in Southeast, Southwest, and Northern Michigan. These hubs give coaching, funding for materials, and help with quality improvements.

2) Who can join: Home-based providers must meet quality standards. Common paths include holding a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or demonstrating program quality through Michigan’s Great Start to Quality. The pilot targets areas where center-based PreK is harder to sustain (rural places and the Upper Peninsula). For news and stories from providers in the pilot, see the Washington Post.

3) What children: The pilot focuses on 3- and 4-year-olds (4-year-olds are the main target of PreK for All). The pilot will be evaluated to see how home settings compare to centers and schools.

How do family child care homes apply and meet the quality requirements?

1. 🔍 Gather credentials: Have your CDA or documentation showing your Great Start to Quality rating ready. If you don’t yet have a CDA, consider training paths at ChildCareEd: How to Start a Daycare in Michigan and the Michigan training page: Childcare Courses in Michigan.
2. 🎓 CDA Family Child Care Credential: For home-based providers working toward the CDA credential required for pilot eligibility, ChildCareEd's CDA Family Child Care Credential is a comprehensive online program covering all 8 CDA subject areas in one place — an MiRegistry-approved path that lets providers complete required training hours, build portfolio evidence, and demonstrate the professional qualifications hubs look for during application review.
3. 📋 Meet licensing basics: Ensure background checks, CPR/First Aid, and other health & safety trainings are current. Michigan requires health and safety preservice topics and annual hours for family child care homes — see training requirements: Training Requirements for Michigan Childcare Providers. State requirements vary - check your state licensing agency.
4. 🧾 Complete the hub application: Hubs will ask for program details, schedule, class size, and improvement plans. They may offer help to submit paperwork and can connect you to coaching and materials.
5. ✅ Prepare your space and schedule: The pilot expects quality learning routines (intentional lesson plans, outdoor play, materials). If you need curriculum or methods training, ChildCareEd offers preschool and curriculum classes: 90-Hour Preschool Training.
6. 📚 Preschool curriculum and lesson planning: To help providers build the intentional PreK routines and curriculum quality that pilot evaluators expect, ChildCareEd's 45-Hour Preschool Curriculum is a comprehensive online course covering developmentally appropriate preschool practices, lesson planning, and learning environment design — directly supporting the curriculum preparation, weekly scheduling, and assessment readiness steps outlined in this guide.

Tip: Document everything—training certificates, attendance records, and sample lesson plans—so hubs and evaluators can see your program quality.

What supports, funding, and coaching will home-based providers get?

1. 💰 Direct funding for materials: Pilots include money for curriculum, books, manipulatives, and outdoor equipment so programs can add PreK-ready materials (see local reports: ABC12).
2. 🧑‍🏫 Coaching and professional development: Hubs provide coaching to improve classroom practice and help meet GSRP standards. Coaching can include lesson planning, assessment support, and family engagement strategies.
3. 📚 Curriculum and assessment tools: Pilot funds can help pay for validated curricula and school-readiness assessment tools so teachers track growth and outcomes.
4. 🔁 Connection to networks: You’ll join a Family Child Care Network hub that links to apprenticeship and workforce initiatives like the MI Early Apprentice effort. For regional support examples, see Networks Northwest: Networks Northwest.
5. 🧾 Evaluation support: The pilot includes evaluation so Michigan can learn what works and consider expanding the model. Read reporting from the Washington Post about how states plan and evaluate pilots: Washington Post.

Where the money comes from: Federal Preschool Development Grant Birth-Five and state funds support the pilot; additional local grants and in-kind supports may be available (search grants for preschools in Michigan: GrantWatch).

Why does this change matter,r and what common mistakes should you avoid?

Why it matters (short): 1) Choice for families: Home-based PreK gives families an option where they prefer smaller groups or mixed-age care. Local stories show families saving on child care and keeping children with trusted providers: Washington Post. 2) Reach in underserved areas: Rural and Upper Peninsula communities often lack centers; home-based slots can reach these families quickly (see regional reporting: WBKB).

Common mistakes and how to avoid them:

1. ❌ Mistake: Waiting to pursue required training until after you’re selected. ✅ Fix: Start or update trainings now. Use organized course bundles such as the Michigan Child Care Home Licensee Career Program: ChildCareEd career program.
2. ❌ Mistake: Assuming pilot funds cover everything. ✅ Fix: Clarify with your hub which costs are funded and what you must absorb. Ask for a funding breakdown in writing.
3. ❌ Mistake: Not documenting program quality. ✅ Fix: Keep assessment snapshots, lesson plans, training certificates, and family communication logs ready for hub review and evaluation.
4. ❌ Mistake: Trying to change everything at once. ✅ Fix: Prioritize 1–2 improvements (for example, add a new curriculum and schedule weekly coaching) and build from there.

Conclusion: What to do next and FAQ

Next steps (simple checklist):

1. 🔎 Learn which hub serves your county from the pilot news pages and contact them.
2. 📚 Update your CDA or Great Start to Quality documentation and finish required health & safety trainings (see training requirements).
3. 🧾 Gather materials: lesson plans, family consent forms, and sample schedules to show readiness.
4. 💬 Ask your hub about coaching, funding, and evaluation timelines.

FAQ (short):

1. Q: Who decides which homes join the pilot? A: Selected Family Child Care Network hubs manage enrollment and support; they choose home sites through application and quality checks. See reporting: ABC12.
2. Q: Will the pilot continue beyond the year? A: The pilot may extend into the following school year,r depending on evaluation and funding; read state announcements in local coverage.
3. Q: Can I get help paying for required trainings? A: Some hubs and local workforce programsoffer supports. Look into MI Early Apprentice and regional wage initiatives (see Networks Northwest).
4. Q: Do I still need to follow state licensing rules? A: Yes. State requirements vary - check your state licensing agency and keep all licenses current.

We hope this article felt practical and clear. If you want help finding the right ChildCareEd training or course bundle for your next step, their Michigan pages list options and certificates that match state requirements: ChildCareEd Michigan courses. Good luck — your home is a powerful setting for early learning.

Check eligibility first. State program pages and hub contacts will list open slots and application steps. Read the pilot news pages and contact the hub serving your county (links in the local news stories above).1) Types of support the pilot offers:1) The pilot: Michigan launched a small pilot to include family child care homes in PreK for All. News reports explain the pilot will support roughly 75 PreK spaces across select regions and is funded through federal grants and state early childhood funds. See local coverage for details: ABC12 and WBKB.