TAKE ACTION: CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR REGARDING THE UPCOMING CAPITAL BILL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Request
$30 million in capital funds to build or renovate early childhood facilities in communities with large numbers of underserved Latino children. Each center that is a new construction will cost approximately $10 million with half the funds coming from this initiative and half raised from other sources by the grantees. Each facility will be approximately 25,000 square feet and serve 225 children. Every effort will be made to obtain land donated by the municipalities. Each new facility of this size will also provide new full time employment for up to 50 adults. Renovation and facility expansion projects will also be eligible, as long as new children are served.
The Need
Young children need safe, welcoming and developmentally appropriate environments to stimulate learning. Yet in certain areas around the state – for example, many growing Latino communities – families’ demand for preschool outpaces the availability of high-quality learning space. Preschool instructors lack the facilities needed to help children enter school prepared for success.
Background
Research shows that quality early education programs contribute significantly to higher levels of school readiness and school achievement. Enrollment in early education programs is more critical among English learning children from low socioeconomic status families. Early education programs, therefore, would benefit Latino children greatly. Yet, only 36.2 percent of Latino children in the state of Illinois participate in preschool programs compared to 52.5 percent of non-Latinos. To close this gap, a Latino-focused early education strategy is urgent to ensure that Latino children have a better opportunity for success in school and life.
A major barrier for Latino families seeking to enroll their children in preschool is the lack of available facilities in the appropriate neighborhoods. For example, in the city of Chicago, it is estimated that 6,000 Latino preschool age children are eligible for services but cannot enroll due to overcrowding in public schools and lack of facilities. Throughout the region, the growth of the Latino population in cities such as Cicero, Berwyn, Aurora, Joliet and Waukegan has far outpaced the supply of early childhood education facilities in these communities.
Latino organizations, through the Latino Policy Forum, collaboratively developed an early childhood education policy agenda through which we can offer our children a safe, welcoming and developmentally appropriate environment to stimulate learning. The support of the Latino Caucus is essential to succeed in moving forward a Latin-focused early education agenda that uplifts our families and provides our children a better future.
Collaborating Organizations
$30 million in capital funds to build or renovate early childhood facilities in communities with large numbers of underserved Latino children. Each center that is a new construction will cost approximately $10 million with half the funds coming from this initiative and half raised from other sources by the grantees. Each facility will be approximately 25,000 square feet and serve 225 children. Every effort will be made to obtain land donated by the municipalities. Each new facility of this size will also provide new full time employment for up to 50 adults. Renovation and facility expansion projects will also be eligible, as long as new children are served.
The Need
Young children need safe, welcoming and developmentally appropriate environments to stimulate learning. Yet in certain areas around the state – for example, many growing Latino communities – families’ demand for preschool outpaces the availability of high-quality learning space. Preschool instructors lack the facilities needed to help children enter school prepared for success.
Background
Research shows that quality early education programs contribute significantly to higher levels of school readiness and school achievement. Enrollment in early education programs is more critical among English learning children from low socioeconomic status families. Early education programs, therefore, would benefit Latino children greatly. Yet, only 36.2 percent of Latino children in the state of Illinois participate in preschool programs compared to 52.5 percent of non-Latinos. To close this gap, a Latino-focused early education strategy is urgent to ensure that Latino children have a better opportunity for success in school and life.
A major barrier for Latino families seeking to enroll their children in preschool is the lack of available facilities in the appropriate neighborhoods. For example, in the city of Chicago, it is estimated that 6,000 Latino preschool age children are eligible for services but cannot enroll due to overcrowding in public schools and lack of facilities. Throughout the region, the growth of the Latino population in cities such as Cicero, Berwyn, Aurora, Joliet and Waukegan has far outpaced the supply of early childhood education facilities in these communities.
Latino organizations, through the Latino Policy Forum, collaboratively developed an early childhood education policy agenda through which we can offer our children a safe, welcoming and developmentally appropriate environment to stimulate learning. The support of the Latino Caucus is essential to succeed in moving forward a Latin-focused early education agenda that uplifts our families and provides our children a better future.
Collaborating Organizations
- Latinos United
- Alliance for Early Childhood Education
- Association House of Chicago
- Casa Central
- Chicago Commons
- Christopher House
- El Hogar Del Niño
- El Valor
- Erie Neighborhood House
- Gads Hill Center
- Latino Education Alliance
- Latino and Latin American Studies at North Eastern Illinois University
- Onward Neighborhood House
- The Resurrection Project
- Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF)
- Metropolitan Chicago Initiative, University of Notre Dame
Related Items
| Name | Source | Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Advocacy Piece: Young Children Need Quality Learnng Environments | ||
