Early Childhood / Pre-Kindergarten
Detroit Public Schools Community District Foundation for Early Learners provides a high quality early learning experience for special needs and general education students 4 years old by September 1st or December 1st of the current school year, depending on the program.
The Early Childhood Programs are comprised of two prekindergarten programs: the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP). Students selected for the Great Start Readiness Program must meet income guidelines.
The Recruitment, Enrollment and Selection Process
The recruitment, eligibility, and selection of prekindergarten children and their families for Early Childhood programs within the Detroit Public Schools Community District is an ongoing process throughout the school year. In order to become eligible for Detroit Public Schools Community District’s Prekindergarten Program, a child must be 4 years old by September 1st or December 1st of the current school year.
Documentation Needed for Application Process
This information is needed to determine eligibility:
- Birth Certificate
- Proof of Income (W-2, Pay Stubs, Public Assistance documents, etc.)
- Completed Child Application Form
- Proof of Disability (if applicable) – Individual Education Plan (IEP)
- Current Immunization
- Proof of Residency
Great Start Readiness Program
The Great Start Readiness Program is a state-funded prekindergarten program for four-year-old children with factors which may place them at risk of educational failure. The program is sponsored by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and administered by Wayne RESA. Class size is to 16 to 18 students, meets four days per week and the program provides educational, health, mental health, and parent involvement services.
Who qualifies?
In addition to the age requirement, all children must also meet GSRP Risk Factors:
- Low family income
- Diagnosed disability or identified developmental delay – Individual Education Plan (IEP)
- Severe or challenging behavior
- Primary home language other than English
- Parent/guardian with low educational attainment
- Abuse/neglect of child or parent,
- Environmental risk (i.e. parental loss of due to death, divorce, incarceration, military service, or absence, sibling issues, teen parent (not age 20 when first child born), family is homeless or without stable housing, residence in a high-risk neighborhood (area of high poverty, high crime, with limited access to critical community services), and prenatal or postnatal exposure to toxic substance known to cause learning or developmental delays).
Head Start Partnership
Thanks to a new partnership with Starfish Family Services, Detroit parents will have access to slots for three and four-year-olds in 12 classrooms in four Detroit Public Schools Community District buildings.

Vanessa Garcia and her daughter Damaris at the Thrive by Five Earhart Elementary-Middle School site. Photo credit: Steve Palackdharry
Starfish Family Services is funding these 12 classrooms using Head Start and/or Great Start Readiness Program funds. The classrooms are located in these schools in southwest Detroit:
- Durfee Elementary-Middle School offers three (3) Head Start classes.
- Earhart Elementary-Middle School offers two (2) Head Start classes and one (1) Head Start/GSRP class.
- Mark Twain School for Scholars offers two (2) Head Start classes.
- Phoenix Elementary-Middle School offers four (4) Head Start classes.
For more information, parents should contact (734) 248-3400.
Resources
- Immunization information
- Great Start Collaborative – Wayne County
- Give Michigan’s Kids a Great Start
Pre-kindergarten Schools
List of Pre-kindergarten Schools
School Name | Address | Phone |
---|---|---|
A.L. Holmes Academy of Blended Learning | 8950 Crane Street 48213-2273 | (313) 866-5644 |
Academy of the Americas | 5680 Konkel Street 48210 | (313) 596-7640 |
Ann Arbor Trail Magnet School | 7635 Chatham 48239-1027 | (313) 274-8560 |
Bagley Elementary School of Journalism and Technology | 8100 Curtis Street 48221-2519 | (313) 494-7175 |
Bates Academy | 19701 Wyoming 48221-1519 | (313) 494-7000 |
Bennett Elementary School | 2111 Mullane Street 48209-1529 | (313) 849-3585 |
Bow Elementary-Middle School | 19801 Prevost Street 48235-2356 | (313) 852-0500 |
Brenda Scott Academy | 18440 Hoover 48205 | (313) 866-6700 |
Brewer Academy | 18025 Brock Street 48205-3522 | (313) 866-2070 |
Bunche Preparatory Academy | 2715 Macomb Street 48207-3830 | (313) 494-8350 |
Burton International Academy | 2001 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 48208 | (313) 596-3800 |
Carleton Elementary School | 11724 Casino Street 48224-1173 | (313) 866-8322 |
Carstens Academy of Aquatic Science at Remus | 13000 Essex Avenue 48215-3243 | (313) 866-5500 |
Carver STEM Academy | 18701 Paul Street 48228-3868 | (313) 240-6622 |
Catherine C. Blackwell Institute | 9330 Shoemaker 48213-3152 | (313) 866-4391 |
Charles Wright Academy of Arts and Science | 19299 Berg Road 48219-1712 | (313) 538-3024 |
Coleman A. Young Elementary School | 15771 Hubbell Street 48227-2948 | (313) 852-0725 |
Davison Elementary-Middle School | 2800 E. Davison Street 48212-1680 | (313) 252-3118 |
Detroit International Academy for Young Women | 5161 Charles Street 48212 | (313) 873-3050 |
Dixon Educational Learning Academy | 8401 Trinity Street 48228-2807 | (313) 945-1330 |
Earhart Elementary-Middle School | 1000 Scotten Street 48209 | (313) 849-3945 |
Edison Elementary School | 17045 Grand River Avenue 48227-1424 | (313) 852-1066 |
Edmonson Elementary School | 1300 West Canfield St 48201-1006 | (313) 332-4646 |
Edward 'Duke' Ellington Conservatory of Music & Art at Beckham Academy | 9860 Park Drive 48213 | (313) 852-8500 |
Emerson Elementary-Middle School | 18240 Huntington Road 48219-2800 | (313) 831-9688 |
Fisher Magnet Lower Academy | 15510 E. State Fair 48205-2068 | (313) 642-4854 |
Foreign Language Immersion and Cultural Studies School (FLICS) | 6501 West Outer Drive 48235 | (313) 651-2400 |
Garvey Academy | 2301 Van Dyke Street 48214-3958 | (313) 866-7400 |
Golightly Education Center | 5536 St. Antoine Street 48202-3831 | (313) 870-1101 |
Gompers Elementary-Middle School | 14450 Burt Road 48223 | (313) 494-7495 |
Greenfield Union Elementary-Middle School | 420 W. 7 Mile Road 48203-1920 | (313) 866-2999 |
Henderson Academy | 16101 W Chicago 48228 | (313) 852-0512 |
Hutchinson Elementary-Middle School at Howe | 2600 Garland 48214-4037 | (313) 866-4169 |
J. E. Clark Preparatory Academy | 15755 Bremen Street 48224-3443 | (313) 417-9340 |
John R.King Academic and Performing Arts Academy | 15850 Strathmoor Street 48227-2965 | (313) 866-9600 |
Mackenzie Elementary-Middle School | 10147 West Chicago 48204 | (313) 416-6400 |
Mann Learning Community | 19625 Elmira Street 48228-5903 | (313) 866-9580 |
Marion Law Academy | 19411 Cliff Avenue 48234 | (313) 866-3400 |
Mark Twain School for Scholars | 12800 Visger Street 48217-1056 | (313) 386-5530 |
Marquette Elementary-Middle School | 6145 Canyon Street 48236-2009 | (313) 417-9360 |
Mary McLeod Bethune Elementary-Middle School | 8145 Puritan Street 48227-4068 | (313) 494-3830 |
Mason Academy | 19955 Fenelon Street 48234-2273 | (313) 866-3700 |
Maybury Elementary School | 4410 Porter Street 48209-2429 | (313) 849-2014 |
Munger Elementary-Middle School | 5525 Martin 48210 | (313) 457-6200 |
Neinas Dual Language Learning Academy | 6021 McMillan Street 48209-1630 | (313) 849-3701 |
Noble Elementary-Middle School | 8646 Fullerton Street 48238-3033 | (313) 873-0377 |
Nolan Elementary-Middle School | 1150 E. Lantz Street 48203-1376 | (313) 866-7730 |
Palmer Park Preparatory Academy | 3901 Margareta 48221-2260 | (313) 494-7300 |
Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy | 2585 Grove Street 48221-3164 | (313) 494-8100 |
Priest Elementary-Middle School | 7840 Wagner Street 48210-1962 | (313) 849-3705 |
Pulaski Elementary-Middle School | 13840 Lappin 48205 | (313) 866-7022 |
Roberto Clemente Learning Academy | 1551 Beard 48209-2073 | (313) 849-3489 |
Ronald Brown Academy | 11530 E. Outer Drive 48224-3265 | (313) 886-2611 |
Sampson-Webber Leadership Academy | 4700 Tireman Street 48204-4243 | (313) 596-4750 |
Schulze Academy for Technology and Arts | 10700 Santa Maria Street 48221-2334 | (313) 340-4400 |
Spain Elementary-Middle School | 3700 Beaubien Street 48201-2118 | (313) 494-2081 |
Thurgood Marshall Elementary School | 15531 Linwood Street 48238-1465 | (313) 494-8820 |
Vernor Elementary School | 13726 Pembroke Avenue 48235-1519 | (313) 494-7342 |
Wayne Elementary School | 10633 Courville Street 48224-2403 | (313) 866-0400 |