Forgive this bit of peevishness, but what in blue blazes is the Department of Education thinking in leaving Michigan off its list of "Race to the Top" qualifiers?

As Gongwer reported: 

Despite getting all the state teacher unions on board and making other changes to the application, Michigan was once again not selected as a finalist to compete for federal grants to assist with education reforms.

Detroit Free Press columnist Rochelle Riley became the first (but not last!) big-time journalist to make note of the Sandbox Party, devoting her entire July 18 column to it. It began like this:

The most interesting news item of the past week from an early childhood perspective has to be Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, talking about early childhood as one of the paths to a better public school system.

Speaking at the union's Seattle convention, Weingarten said it's time we "build a system of public education as it ought to be."

Sometimes the work around ECIC can feel a bit like being a farmer - the goal is to keep sowing the seed in hopes that something good will grow.

Lately, the seed has been child care training, and I was gratified to see one sprout with Lansing's WILX (Channel 10)  featuring a story about the new training requirement for relative and aide child care providers in Michigan. (In case you didn't know, providers have to take a 6-hour health and safety course through one of ECIC's Great Start Regional Child Care Resource Centers or lose their state subsidy.)

 
In simpler terms one in 50 children will experience homelessness and the adverse risks associated such as developmental delays, domestic violence, and health conditions.
 
Before I share a few links with you it is important to make a clear distinction about homelessness.  Close your eyes and take just three seconds to picture what “homeless” looks like to you.
 

One of the top political bloggers in the state - Susan Demas - recently took on the issue of early childhood and where it rates in the minds of Michigan legislators. Her headline says it all: "Michigan's braindead approach to early education"

Add the Detroit Free Press’ Stephen Henderson and the Detroit Public Schools’ Robert Bobb to the growing list of influentials in Michigan who “get it” when it comes to early childhood.

In Henderson’s Sunday column about the last week’s big Mackinac Policy Conference, Henderson wrote:

At the risk of somehow inviting future bad news, allow me to share what looks to be good news - provisional good news - about funding for early childhood here in Michigan.

Timing is everything!