Relationship to KConnect
Lead Convening Partner
Success Measure: Kindergarten Readiness
Approach: Curious. Courageous.
The Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage helps children in Kent County enter kindergarten healthy and ready to learn and succeed. It provides dedicated funding for evidence-based programs that improve childhood health, school readiness, and well-being. In just the last year, more than 13,000 young children and parents from every zip code in Kent County participated in these programs. Thousands more families were supported with information about early childhood development.
Millage Renewal
Kent County voters overwhelmingly approved the first early childhood millage in 2018. A 0.25 mill renewal of the Ready by Five Millage will appear on countywide ballots for the August 6, 2024, election. Absentee voting begins in late June, followed by in-person early voting. Information on when, where, and how to cast a ballot can be found on the Kent County website.
Voting “YES” on the renewal will provide another six years of funding for community-based early childhood programs. The owner of a home valued at $300,000 will pay $37.50 per year, or $3.13 per month, which would appear in property tax bills between 2025 and 2031. It is estimated to generate $7.7 million in the first year.
Programs Funded by Ready by Five
First Steps Kent is responsible for the oversight and administration of Ready by Five Early Childhood Millage funds. A board of residents – including parents, early childhood stakeholders, and county officials – reviews proposals and decides how funds should be allocated. Community-based organizations provide the programs and services.
Services funded by Ready by Five include in-home parenting support and home visits, developmental screenings for children, prenatal support, connections to community resources, assistance navigating child care and other early childhood services, play and learn groups, elimination of hazardous substances from homes, intensive therapy for dealing with behavioral health issues, and provision of books for families to support reading at home.
Community Impact
Ready by Five is successfully reaching communities where early investment has the greatest opportunity for impact. Participation has increased most among children who are from historically marginalized groups and in the most economically disadvantaged communities, both urban and rural.
Millage-funded programs have a proven track record that includes outcomes such as:
- Improved third-grade math and reading scores.
- Reduction in preterm and low birthweight babies, especially among Black women.
- Early identification and treatment of children with developmental delays and disabilities.
First Steps Kent established a countywide data collection system to track community progress and report back to taxpayers.
You can learn more by visiting yesreadybyfive.com.
Paid for with regulated funds from Yes Ready by Five, PO Box 6122, Grand Rapids, MI 49516