TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Northwest Education Services (North Ed) is celebrating continued growth in the region’s offerings of free preschool for 4-year-olds, with new partnerships and increased access.
Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is Michigan’s free Pre-K program for children who are 4 years old on or before Dec. 1 of the current school year. Through its Early Childhood Department, North Ed supports GSRP classrooms in area child care centers and local schools throughout the counties of Antrim, Benzie, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Leelanau.
North Ed’s region has gained three new GSRP partners for the 2026-27 school year:
Leelanau Montessori Public School Academy, 7401 E. Duck Lake Road, Lake Leelanau (231.994.2074)
Teddy Bear Daycare and Preschool (Bass Lake site), 1497B Bass Lake Road, Traverse City (231.941.4877)
Pitter Patter (Interlochen site), 3113 J Maddy Parkway, Interlochen (231.276.3190)
More than 90% of the region’s 822 slots were filled during the 2025-26 school year. This fall, the requests of current North Ed GSRP partners have already surpassed that number from last year. To ensure greater access and availability for the 2026-2027 school year, North Ed applied to the State of Michigan to increase the number of GSRP slots to 900.
While many GSRP programs are full this year, there are still some openings that will vary by location. Families with questions about GSRP or who are interested in availability are encouraged to contact Help Me Grow at 231.922.7878 or HelpMeGrow@NorthwestEd.org.
“We are thrilled to be able to increase the number of GSRP partnerships in the region so that families have greater access to even more options for high-quality child care,” said Tracy Spincich, North Ed’s Birth to 5 early childhood coordinator. “While many families choose to enroll their children in preschool in the fall, there are still numerous benefits children can experience if they join the program later in the year. We know that early education provides young children with crucial social skills and lifelong learning habits that can set them up for success.”
GSRP classrooms support the development of young children and prepare them for successful entry into kindergarten using developmentally appropriate practices, guided by research-based curriculum. Children are introduced to math, reading and thinking skills through fun, hands-on activities while learning crucial social emotional skills that allow them to begin to understand and manage their own feelings and those of their peers.
GSRP classrooms vary in availability and offerings by geographic location and operator. Families will be expected to commit to either a four- or five-day schedule, depending on each site’s offerings. Operators may include options for transportation and fee-based before- and after-school programs.
To learn more about early childhood programming, child care and more, visit www.HelpMeGrowUpNorth.org.
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