LANSING –  Lawmakers and child development experts are worried that many children in Oakland County are not receiving an adequate education at a young age.

Many low-income families aren’t able to afford preschool and many day care centers aren’t providing ideal environments for the learning and developmental stimulation children need, said Mark Sullivan, executive director of MI4C, a state organization that promotes child care.

Research shows that children’s brains develop the most between 3 to 5 years of age.  Without intellectual stimulation, children have a more difficult time developing socially, physically and emotionally.

“The 609 child care centers in Oakland County are only required to have licenses that ensure kids are healthy and safe,” Sullivan said.  “That’s a long way from what we could call the threshold of quality – it’s not meeting their needs.”

Children often attend low-quality day care programs or are watched by untrained friends or family members, said Joan Firestone, director of early childhood services at Oakland Schools. 

Those custodial options may not provide the best setting for learning, she said.

Sullivan said that only 6 percent of the state’s 4,800 child care centers are nationally accredited, a “gold standard” showing their facilities meet outside review.

 “Many parents think their children are getting a good education in day care, and they aren’t,” she said.  “Only three out of every 10 children nationwide are getting a program that meets their developmental needs.”

Brian Whiston, who lobbies for Oakland County school districts, said that in the county’s 28 districts, many children don’t go to preschool because of money or transportation issues.

Last year, 5,325 children under 12 in Oakland County received subsidized child care.  According to the Michigan League for Human Services, that number represented only 10 percent of the children who are eligible for Medicaid.

Firestone said many families can’t afford transportation to get children to places where governmental assistance is offered.  Such programs include federally funded Head Start and state-funded ones such as Michigan School Readiness. 

Firestone said there are waiting lists for both programs, and Head Start serves only half of the eligible children.

Full-day child care can cost from $4,000 to $10,000 a year, according to the Children’s Defense Fund, a nonprofit organization focused on child welfare based in Washington, D.C.

Only one out of seven children eligible for child care assistance under federal law receives help nationally, according to the group.

Firestone said research shows that for every dollar spent at the preschool level, there is a $7 return.  “They’re more likely to go to secondary school, to have jobs and contribute to society – and less likely to get arrested,” she said.

Some Michigan lawmakers have proposed changing the education system to make preschool programs more affordable and to mandate kindergarten for 5 year olds.

Rep. Hoon-Yung Hopgood, D-Taylor, of the House Education Committee, said lawmakers don’t know how much the initiative would cost the state.  It depends on how the plan is implemented and how many more teachers will be required, he said.

But he said the cost would eventually be paid off in the contributions productive students make to society.

“If we really want to reform education, this is where we can make the most impact,” he said.  “Students will need less special education programs and other services.”