Since our last newsletter, the state budget was signed on October 3, 2025. The state budget must be passed by July 1 of each year, but the legislators disregarded this deadline. The process did not allow time for any transparency, the necessary review of the budget proposals, or the review of the new language imposed. This resulted in significant reductions in the state budget, directly impacting our region. Two programs were eliminated from the budget: 32p Early Childhood Block and 99s MiSTEM.
The Eastern Upper Peninsula Great Start Collaborative has spent nearly two decades building a strong early childhood system that supports children from birth through age eight. The loss of 32P funding would have immediate and far-reaching consequences for our schools and communities, including:
Loss of Home Visiting Services: The Parents as Teachers program provides individualized, evidence-based support to families, helping them build strong parenting skills and promote early development.
Disruption of Early Literacy Efforts: Programs like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Little Free Libraries, and Outdoor StoryWalks foster early language development and a love of reading—critical foundations for literacy success in the early grades.
Elimination of Early Learning Scholarships: These scholarships help families access high-quality preschool and childcare, ensuring more children enter kindergarten with the social-emotional and cognitive skills they need to succeed.
Reduced Access to Developmental Supports: Programs like Help Me Grow and EUP Connections provide centralized referrals, developmental screenings, and connections to early intervention services
Impact on the Early Childhood Workforce: The elimination of funding would result in layoffs of early childhood educators, home visitors, and program staff, weakening the pipeline of skilled professionals who support young learners before they reach school age.
Loss of Cross-Sector Collaboration: The Great Start Collaborative plays a vital role in aligning early childhood efforts across health, education, and human services.
The MiSTEM Network (99s) strengthens our talent pipeline by aligning educational investments with employers' real needs. Through authentic, locally driven STEM programs and hands-on experiences, the Network helps students develop practical skills in problem-solving, collaboration, and innovation—aligned directly with the needs of today's and tomorrow’s industries. The Network serves as a bridge between education and the business community, ensuring that students not only learn about STEM but are also inspired to pursue careers in these high-demand fields across sectors such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, space/aerospace, and energy.
The EUPISD continues to advocate at the state level for the reinstatement of this funding. These programs directly impact our students' readiness for school and career pathways.
Many of you serve students and families who depend on SNAP benefits for needed food resources. According to the 2024 Annual Report from Feeding America West Michigan, Chippewa County’s food insecurity rate is 14.7%, Luce County’s food insecurity rate is 14.8%, and Mackinac County’s food insecurity rate is 15.4%. As the federal government remains in a shutdown, it is unclear whether debit cards will have funds loaded in November. Please share the following food program information (provided by Kristen Calery-Corbiere, School Social Worker):
Dial 2-1-1 or visit Find Help-Michigan 2-1-1 for free, confidential assistance and referrals to local food programs and support services.
Dial the F.O.R. Helpline at 1-888-544-8773 to help find a food pantry, assistance in applying for SNAP, or for help finding other resources.
Visit https://www.feedwm.org/mobile-pantry-schedule/ to find local Mobile Pantries.
Use the Find Food Map at https://www.feedwm.org/findfood/ to search for local food resources by county or zip code.
Angie McArthur, Ed.D.
Superintendent
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