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Summer 2016 Newsletter

  ·  Sylvia Puente

Dear Friends,

Despite the festivities and warmth that make this time of the year special for everyone, there’s a cloud hanging over the state brought on by the failure of government officials to pass an operating budget at the end of the state legislature’s spring session for the second straight year. 

While much of state government continues to function through court orders and consent decrees, children and families are unnecessarily suffering due to the lack of state funding for human services and higher education.  According to a recent survey conducted by the United Way of Illinois, nearly 1 million people are without services because... Continue Reading

Posted In: Infant & Toddler Services , K-3, Parent Engagement, Preschool, Families & Communities, Housing, Foreclosure, Housing Education, Affordable Housing, Homelessness, Immigration, Immigration Reform & Policy, Immigrant Integration, Leadership, Strengthening Leadership, Representation in Government, State Investment, Access & Resources, Educators

Here are the latest updates from the Forum’s education team.

Early Childhood Education Advocacy Day

The Forum’s partners and advocates headed to the state capitol on April 20 to advocate for the fair tax amendment and early childhood education. More than 10 organizations and 72 participants made the journey to Springfield, Illinois, visiting over 20 legislators. Parents shared emotional tales of their child’s progress and offered regalitos, or small gifts, to emphasize the positive results of funding early childhood education.

See photos of parents and advocates in action here. The conversation also continued on Twitter, engaging and informing audiences citywide. Check out the conversations... Continue Reading

Posted In: Infant & Toddler Services , Preschool, K-3, Parent Engagement, Families & Communities, Educators, Access & Resources, State Investment

Babies and toddlers are on a roll! 
baby

Our children have been scoring some exciting victories in federal policy, not to mention in Illinois and other states. 

While the recent attention and resources directed toward infants and toddlers may be unprecedented, the Latino Policy Forum and its early childhood partners have long known that supporting the learning and development of our youngest children is one of the best bets when it comes to strengthening educational outcomes.

In a report released last fall, Primeros Pasos: Strengthening Programs that Support Illinois Infants and Toddlers, the Forum made a clear case for the importance of the early years, specifically from birth-to-three.

It... Continue Reading

Posted In: Access & Resources, Educators

What compelled 32 Latino-community early childhood advocates, policy analysts and service providers from all corners of the United States to board red-eye flights, high-speed trains, and caravans to Washington, D.C. in late September? After months spent drafting comments and recommendations that address the nuanced needs and priorities of Latino communities, these advocates had the opportunity to bend Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s ear and share their perspectives on and hopes for the federal early learning proposal, commonly known as Preschool for All. 

I was delighted to be one of those 32.

Convened by National Council of La Raza and attended by NCLR’s early childhood affiliates, the Department of Education’s extra-long... Continue Reading

Posted In: Access & Resources

"[Let's] make sure none of our children start the race of life already behind," President Barack Obama said in his call to action for universal pre-K.

And as Latinos have the lowest preschool attendance rate of any group in the U.S., there's ample opportunity for the president's call to focus on boosting access for these young learners. There's also urgency: Illinois Latinos are up to six months behind their peers in cognitive measures before they even begin kindergarten, the start of a gap that develops into frustratingly low high school graduation rates. (This national report points to an eight-month gap for Mexican-American kids.)

I applaud the spirit of the federal plan to connect all American children with high-quality... Continue Reading

Posted In: Access & Resources
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