Oakland University's Lowry Center for Early Childhood Education will offer a free, state-funded preschool classroom for the 2026-27 school year after partnering with Oakland Schools to bring Michigan's Great Start Readiness Program to its Rochester Hills campus.

The university announced the partnership on Tuesday, Aug. 18, saying the new GSRP classroom will serve eligible four-year-olds beginning in fall 2026. Oakland Schools, the county's intermediate school district, administers GSRP locally and will run the classroom in collaboration with Lowry Center staff.

The addition means Rochester Hills families now have another option for Michigan's top-ranked free pre-K program without leaving the community. The Lowry Center, housed in Pawley Hall at 440 Pioneer Drive on OU's campus, already serves children from 18 months to five years old.

What GSRP offers

The program is free.

GSRP classrooms feature smaller class sizes, credentialed early childhood teachers with ongoing training, a state-approved curriculum and healthy meals and snacks. Michigan's program is ranked No. 1 nationally, according to the state's early childhood education office.

Enrollment priority goes to families earning at or below 400% of the federal poverty limit, roughly $128,000 for a family of four based on the 2025-26 threshold. Children must turn four by Dec. 1, 2026, to qualify for the 2026-27 program year.

Dual benefit for campus

Beyond serving local preschoolers, the new classroom will provide hands-on learning opportunities for OU students in the School of Education and Human Services, according to the university's news release. The Lowry Center has operated early childhood programs on campus for more than 50 years, giving education majors a teaching lab steps from their lecture halls.

OU also opened a manufacturing center on Research Drive with Automation Alley on Aug. 6, continuing a stretch of community-facing investments on campus.

How to enroll

The announcement did not specify how many seats the new classroom will have or whether spots remain open. Families interested in the program can visit the Help Me Grow Oakland website or call the Lowry Center at (248) 370-4100.