For those of us in the early childhood field, it is a familiar scene: preschool classrooms with large numbers—even majorities—of children of color.  Increasingly the norm in Illinois’ cities and suburbs, these classrooms are a snapshot of the nation’s demographic future. 

The trends fueling the growing diversity of the early childhood population have shown little sign of stopping, as newly released Census data vividly reveal. Children of color now make up half of all children age five and under for the first time in U.S. history.  And the growth isn’t slowing: Government data predict that in the next five years, the “half-and-half” statistic for of color/White children will hold true for all young people under age 18. While the... Continue Reading

Nearly 50 Chicago-area parents and advocates trekked to Springfield to participate in the Latino Policy Forum’s Early Childhood Education Advocacy Day on April 30. Representing El Hogar del Niño, Christopher House, Erie Neighborhood House, Gads Hill Center, Family Focus Nuestra Familia, El Valor, Logan Square Neighborhood Association, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago, Through a Child’s Eyes, and the Carole Robertson Center, they traveled three hours down to the state capitol to ask legislators to protect and restore funding for early childhood education and child care programs.

Parents were prepped for the visit. An April 25 training coordinated by the Latino Policy Forum at El Valor’s Little Village location... Continue Reading

On April 30, the Latino Policy Forum traveled with nearly 50 Chicago-area parents to Springfield to urge legislators to protect and restore funding for early education and childcare. Two mothers shared their experiences with us.

El 30 de abril, el Latino Policy Forum viajó con casi 50 padres a Springfield para abogar que los legisladores protegieran y restauraran los fondos para la educación prescolar. Al siguiente, dos madres nos contaron sus experiencias.

Madre El Valor, Pilsen from Latino Policy Forum on Vimeo.

Madre El Valor, La Villita from Latino Policy Forum on Vimeo.