EDUCATION ACUERDO
Latino Policy Forum has developed a concept to build the policy making and advocacy capacity of Latino organizations and leaders called Acuerdos. (Acuerdo is a Spanish word meaning mutual understanding, agreement, and accord.) Acuerdos have one very fundamental and important function: to work together to develop and execute priorities and a common agenda. We do this by making sure that information, policy, and advocacy on specific issues represent the Latino perspective and its community needs. Read more here.
Our Acuerdos work around a specific issue. There are currently three Acuerdos staffed by the Latino Policy Forum: The Housing Acuerdo, the Early Childhood Education Acuerdo, and the Immigration Acuerdo. A fourth coalition, the Illinois Latino Agenda, is co-convened by the Latino Policy Forum and MALDEF.
In Illinois, 1-in-4 children under age five is Latino. Unfortunately, national data shows that this population of young children often enters kindergarten behind their peers in literacy and mathematics. The achievement gap is compounded by the fact that Latino children are less likely than African-American, White and Asian children to participate in preschool throughout the state. In order to increase access to high-quality, birth-to-five early learning opportunities that are linguistically and culturally appropriate, the Latino Policy Forum convenes its Early Childhood Education Acuerdo, consisting of stakeholders in the field who are committed to developing and promoting a common early childhood education policy agenda focused on Latino children.
The goal of the Forum’s early childhood education Acuerdo is to increase access to high-quality, birth-to-five early learning opportunities for Latino children in Illinois. The Acuerdo adds value to the field by:
• Developing an informed perspective on the provision of early childhood education services to Latino children;
• Building strong leaders who promote a common agenda;
• Advancing Latino access and inclusion;
• Generating positive engagement with the non-Latino community; and
• Making recommendations that improve the quality of services for all young children.
The following early childhood providers are members of the Latino Policy Forum’s Early Childhood Education Acuerdo:
• Carole Robertson Center for Learning
• Casa Central
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
• Christopher House
• El Hogar del Niño
• El Valor
• Erie Neighborhood House
• Family Focus Nuestra Familia
• Gads Hill Center
• Onward Neighborhood House
• Through A Child’s Eyes
For more information on the Acuerdo on Early Childhood Education Issues, contact Martin Torres.
Our Acuerdos work around a specific issue. There are currently three Acuerdos staffed by the Latino Policy Forum: The Housing Acuerdo, the Early Childhood Education Acuerdo, and the Immigration Acuerdo. A fourth coalition, the Illinois Latino Agenda, is co-convened by the Latino Policy Forum and MALDEF.
In Illinois, 1-in-4 children under age five is Latino. Unfortunately, national data shows that this population of young children often enters kindergarten behind their peers in literacy and mathematics. The achievement gap is compounded by the fact that Latino children are less likely than African-American, White and Asian children to participate in preschool throughout the state. In order to increase access to high-quality, birth-to-five early learning opportunities that are linguistically and culturally appropriate, the Latino Policy Forum convenes its Early Childhood Education Acuerdo, consisting of stakeholders in the field who are committed to developing and promoting a common early childhood education policy agenda focused on Latino children.
The goal of the Forum’s early childhood education Acuerdo is to increase access to high-quality, birth-to-five early learning opportunities for Latino children in Illinois. The Acuerdo adds value to the field by:
• Developing an informed perspective on the provision of early childhood education services to Latino children;
• Building strong leaders who promote a common agenda;
• Advancing Latino access and inclusion;
• Generating positive engagement with the non-Latino community; and
• Making recommendations that improve the quality of services for all young children.
The following early childhood providers are members of the Latino Policy Forum’s Early Childhood Education Acuerdo:
• Carole Robertson Center for Learning
• Casa Central
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago
• Christopher House
• El Hogar del Niño
• El Valor
• Erie Neighborhood House
• Family Focus Nuestra Familia
• Gads Hill Center
• Onward Neighborhood House
• Through A Child’s Eyes
For more information on the Acuerdo on Early Childhood Education Issues, contact Martin Torres.
