“We will be collaborating with other entities in the area as we go through this extension,” Child Development Laboratories Director Laurie Linscott said.

The money comes from U.S. Rep Elissa Slotkin's project to fund local projects across mid-Michigan. Linscott said she submitted a proposal to Slotkin through MSU Governmental Relations and it was chosen.

A year ago, Linscott had reached out to a local preschool, Capital Area Community Services Head Start, about collaboration amidst the expansion. She had also looked at working with the Ingham Intermediate School District.

“If students in the Lansing area in high school were interested in pursuing a career tech track around child development, we would love to collaborate with them,” Linscott said. “We're looking to getting a building with enough space to have classrooms so that we could support them doing their classes there." 

She said this expansion will encompass a wider population.

“It is a great experience for MSU students who take their labs through the child development lab to be able to have experiences with a diverse population,” Linscott said. “Our university students, when they go into the field of teaching, will have had their lab experiences being able to work with children and families of diversity.” 

The child development lab already has two sites: Central School, located on Grand River and Hillcrest, and Haslett Public Schools’ Head Start. With this new round of funding, a third site will be generated within the Lansing area.