From Alignment to Continuity: Reimagining Literacy in Michigan’s Pre-K System

What would happen if Michigan truly treated early literacy not as a set of isolated initiatives, but as a coherent, connected system from preschool through grade twelve?

In a recent conversation with Dr. Mary Behm of Genesee ISD, this question emerged as more than a hypothetical. It became a vision for how Michigan might fundamentally rethink literacy practice in Pre-K classrooms—and beyond. At the heart of her insights is a deceptively simple idea: literacy improvement begins when educators move past curriculum debates and return to research-driven clarity about what young children should know and be able to do.

Dr. Behm emphasized that meaningful progress in early literacy requires shared understanding. Regardless of whether districts use Creative Curriculum, HighScope, or other frameworks, educators must align around essential literacy practices grounded in research. This alignment is not about uniformity; it is about coherence. When teachers across districts and grade levels share a common language of literacy, professional development becomes more powerful, instructional practices become more intentional, and students experience greater consistency in learning.

Yet, alignment alone is not enough. Dr. Behm’s vision extends toward continuity—especially during the critical transition from preschool to kindergarten. Too often, this transition is treated as a brief event in the spring or fall. Instead, she imagines an ongoing, collaborative process in which preschool and kindergarten teachers actively work together throughout the year. In such a system, children are not simply “handed off” from one setting to another; they are supported through a carefully designed, transparent transition that reflects their individual learning journeys.

Importantly, Dr. Behm reminds us that transitions are not just for students. Families also experience significant shifts as children move from preschool into elementary school. The routines, expectations, and systems change, often dramatically. A robust literacy system, therefore, must intentionally include parents as partners. When families understand what children are learning and how they can support that learning at home, literacy becomes a shared responsibility rather than a school-only endeavor.

Another critical pillar of this vision is data sharing. Dr. Behm offers a compelling example: if a preschool teacher knows that a child is struggling with letter identification, that knowledge should not disappear when the child enters kindergarten. Instead, it should inform instruction from day one. When educators share insights about students’ strengths, needs, and successful strategies, they eliminate the need to “start from scratch” each year. In this way, data becomes not a bureaucratic requirement but a tool for continuity and care.

Finally, Dr. Behm challenges schools to think of themselves as integrated communities rather than segmented programs. She imagines preschoolers participating in school-wide literacy initiatives—buddy reading with older students, inclusion in special events, and shared experiences that foster belonging. In such environments, preschool is not a separate world; it is an integral part of the PK–12 ecosystem.

Taken together, these ideas point toward a powerful reimagining of early literacy in Michigan. If the state embraced research-based alignment, continuous transitions, meaningful family engagement, and intentional data sharing, Pre-K classrooms could become the foundation of a truly coherent literacy system.

The question is no longer whether Michigan can improve early literacy. The question is whether we are willing to build the structures that make improvement sustainable, from the very first classroom children enter.