Contents
GF8 is headed by its director Nell Duke, the executive director of the Center for Early Literacy and Learning Success program for Stand for Children. Stand For Children also is the advocacy arm of Stand for Children Leadership Center, a left-of-center advocacy nonprofit that promotes critical race theory-inspired content. 4 5
Background
Great First Eight (GF8) was founded in 2023 by a partnership between the University of Michigan and advocacy nonprofit Stand for Children Leadership Center. The group argues in favor of “culturally responsive” curriculum that teaches the concepts of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) as well as “emotional learning.” GF8 provides classroom kits and training to aid program implementation within the classroom, while professors using the curriculum receive weekly/biweekly meetings as well as teacher study groups. 2 6 3 1
Partners
Organizations that have partnered with Great First Eight (GF8) include Stand for Children Leadership Center, the University of Michigan, Acuarela, Cambiar Education, the Chicago Public School District, the Child and Family Research Center of University of Nevada Reno, District of Columbia Public Schools, Draetown, Farmington Public Schools, the Long Beach Unified School District, Magpie Literacy, the New York City Department of Education, the Oakland Unified School District, the Preferred Curriculum Solutions, Seesaw, Starfish Family Services, Taylor School District, The Basics, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Wayne-Westland Community Schools, and Ypsilanti Community Schools. 4
Leadership
Neil Duke is listed as the director of Great First Eight (GF8). Duke is also a member of the National Academy of Education as well as the executive director of the Center for Early Literacy and Learning Success at Stand for Children, the advocacy arm of the Stand for Children Leadership Center education advocacy nonprofit. He was previously a professor of education and psychology at Michigan State University and was later appointed to the University of Michigan. 4 7 5
The co-directors of Great First Eight are Claire Vallotton and Marisha Humphries. 4 Vallotton is a faculty member with Michigan State University and was previously the founding coordinator for the Collaborative for Understanding the Pedagogy of Infant/Toddler Development. 8 Humphries is a professor of educational psychology at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Education. 9
Financials
Great First Eight (GF8) is supported by donations to the Stand for Children Leadership Center, a left-of-center education advocacy nonprofit, as well as through the University of Michigan School of Education. 10
GF8’s first grade curriculum was developed with funding from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 3