Opening of the Marygrove Early Education Center
This fall, the P-20 Partnership expands its offerings to northwest Detroit's youngest learners.
On September 17, 2021 partners in the P-20 initiative celebrated the grand opening of the Marygrove Early Education Center at the Marygrove Conservancy. The $22 million dollar state-of-the-art facility serves young learners from birth to age five, and joins The School at Marygrove (which currently serves students in grades nine to 11) in realizing the P-20 initiative to create a cradle-to-career educational campus.
Along with Detroit Public School Community District, The Kresge Foundation, Starfish Family Services, and other stakeholders, Inside Philanthropy reports that the U-M School of Education is a key partner in the Marygrove project:
"The students at U-M's School of Education work with veteran teachers in Marygrove classrooms, getting hands-on experience and ongoing mentorship. The school of Education uses a medical residency model: Students work as interns, student teachers, and residents. U-M is also developing The School at Marygrove's curriculum in collaboration with the school district, and working with the Early Education Center to develop and evaluate its curriculum as well."
“The Marygrove Early Education Center reflects the alchemy possible when partners from different sectors join energies and resources in service of Detroit’s children," said Rip Rapson, president and CEO of The Kresge Foundation, upon the center's opening. "We have created an early education facility that not only offers unprecedented quality of care, but also provides a new anchor for the redevelopment of the surrounding Livernois-McNichols neighborhood.” Kresge's $50 million commitment to the P-20 campus, which includes construction of the early education center, is the largest philanthropic investment to a Detroit neighborhood in history.