Supporting School Access for Detroit Families

WITH EXCELLENT SCHOOLS DETROIT + DETROIT PARENT NETWORK

Research, Writing, Design, and Communication Strategy to Support Detroit Families

Navigating Detroit’s education landscape can be overwhelming, especially for families with young children or those unfamiliar with available options. In partnership with Excellent Schools Detroit and Detroit Parent Network, we created two tools to make school information more accessible: one to guide families in choosing a K–12 school and another to raise awareness about affordable preschool programs.

We began by interviewing parents and caregivers across public, charter, and early childhood settings to understand the real questions and barriers families face. These insights shaped both content and design through a participatory process that prioritized clarity, cultural relevance, and low-literacy accessibility.

To support families navigating K–12 options, we created “How to Choose a School,” a print and digital resource that outlines four clear steps to help parents make informed decisions. The guide encourages caregivers to ask questions and find the best fit for their child’s needs. Printed in a run of 20,000 copies, it was distributed door-to-door alongside other Detroit Parent Network materials. View How to Choose a School.

A colorful informational flyer about schools to visit, with helpful website links, community groups, support options, and a photo of a young woman of color smiling at her desk.

For families exploring preschool, we designed “The Early Kid Gets Ahead!” to highlight three key programs: Head Start, Great Start Readiness Program, and Michigan’s Child Care Subsidy. The booklet, available in English and Spanish, translated institutional information into an easy-to-use guide grounded in parent feedback and real-world testing. View The Early Kid Gets Ahead.

Both projects reflect our commitment to working with communities to create public resources that are clear, practical, and people-centered.

Cover of a guide titled "El niño que empieza primero llega adelante!" with a red arrow pointing to the right and a clock icon, aimed at Detroit parents with young children, encouraging preschool attendance.
A book cover titled 'The Early Kid Gets Ahead!'. The subtitle reads 'A guide for Detroit parents with young children.' There is a clock icon in the top right corner and a red circle with the text 'Get started soon to get a spot in pre-school', with a paper airplane illustration.
A colorful infographic titled "How to choose a school" with four steps, featuring a young man in glasses and a girl sitting on the floor, and numbered circles with tips on the right side.
Educational flyer about important factors in choosing a school, featuring a blue apple with the words 'Keep it real', large title 'What is most important?', questions on the right side, and list of family concerns like strong academics and involved families. Contains a photo of children, various small red stars, and red handwritten notes.
Educational poster with the title 'What questions do we ask schools?' and a list of questions for schools, alongside a section about visiting schools and a picture of a young girl raising her hand.
An educational flyer discussing visiting schools and selecting top two school options, with questions to consider about each school, and tips for visiting, including during open house events, featuring a heading, images of children, and colorful design elements.