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Children in Battle Creek, Michigan are being set up to succeed in school, college and the workforce. Community, government, philanthropy and nonprofit leaders reinvested in and reimagined the city’s early care and education system, which had struggled to meet the needs of residents. Together, they drove dramatic improvements in outcomes for children, tripling the number of children who showed up to kindergarten ready to learn.
This success offers a blueprint that communities across the United States can follow to create stronger outcomes for children and families.
Kindergarten readiness measures how prepared a child is to start school. A 2010 study found that far too few incoming Battle Creek Public Schools students met the standards for readiness in reading and math.
A decade of investments from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and a coalition of childcare providers, local school districts, nonprofit organizations and government transformed the outcomes for children.
Kindergarten readiness in reading & math
This dramatic improvement means that more Battle Creek children are receiving a stronger start. And the impact doesn’t end in kindergarten. Children who take part in high-quality early care and education programs perform better in school, complete more years of education, are more successful in the workforce and are healthier as adults.
And when parents have quality early care for their children, they are better equipped to take advantage of career opportunities and earn higher wages to support their families.
Review the Results:
The success in Battle Creek represents a replicable, scalable approach to transforming early care and education systems. It demonstrates how a nimble, community-led approach can achieve lasting change. This success was supported by the following pillars.
The people and communities most affected by challenges are best equipped to lead the solutions. Their voices and leadership played a vital role in the shaping and success of this work. The collaboration put a premium on building trust and relationships between funders, government agencies, local nonprofits, early education providers, families and community leaders; aligning efforts; learning from one another; and using evidence-based strategies to build a coordinated, equitable early learning system.
Test scores don’t change overnight. Transforming outcomes for Battle Creek children and families required a sustained commitment. Rather than chasing short-term outputs, the coalition took the time to strengthen the system, driving qualitative improvements in how providers, partners, government and education agencies met the needs of children and families. After several years of sustained investment, that success was reflected in the rising kindergarten readiness scores of Battle Creek children.
Data guided every part of the process, from the 2010 study that assessed the city’s early care and education system, to ongoing evaluation of child and family outcomes. Focusing on a single metric of progress — kindergarten readiness — enabled the coalition to align efforts and adjust strategies based on what was working. By sharing data between members and working with a common evaluation partner, the coalition was able to identify emerging needs and assess how much progress each program was creating.
The 2010 study found that many neighborhoods in Battle Creek had few or no options for local families. The collaboration intentionally focused on reaching childcare deserts, which were concentrated in communities of color, immigrant communities and other communities that were underserved by the existing early care and education system.
Strengthening systems means investing in the people who power them. That meant connecting current and prospective workers with professional development programs to help them join the field, build their skills and view early care and education as a long-term career pathway.
The transformation of Battle Creek’s early care and education system isn’t the story of a single innovative idea, one effective organization or a standalone committed individual. It is the story of an entire system growing stronger together.
The case study and articles linked below map out how it came about, what factors made it successful and what lessons other communities can take as they work to transform their own early care and education systems.
Battle Creek’s remarkable transformation is the product of parents, early care and education providers, schools and school districts, philanthropy, and community leaders coming together to build a better future for the city’s children and families.
In these stories, you’ll learn from Battle Creek parents, early care and education professionals, leaders and others about how the transformation happened, why it matters and what impact it is making on the city’s children and families.
La June Montgomery Tabron, President and CEO
We’re grateful to our many partners for their dedication to creating stronger futures for Battle Creek’s children and families.