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
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
Here are the latest updates from the Forum’s education team.
Abriendo Puertas: Congratulations to Metropolitan Family Services Child Parent Centers and their 10 Parent Resource Teachers for completing the Forum’s Abriendo Puertas Facilitator Institute, February 17 to 19. Abriendo Puertas is the nation’s first evidence-based, popular education, parent leadership training program developed in Spanish by and for Latino parents with children 0-5 years of age.
The participants spend three days learning about the parent engagement curriculum and how to implement it using the Popular Education methodology.
ECE Day: Now more than ever your support for early learning services is needed to restore the... Continue Reading
When the Latino Policy Forum brought Abriendo Puertas (“Opening Doors”)—an evidence-based, train-the-trainer parent leadership program from California—to Chicago in 2010, we had a modest-but-important goal of empowering 200 local Latino parents with skills to become advocates and agents of change in the lives of their young children. Cognitive foundations are laid early, and Abriendo Puertas would encourage local parents to embrace cultural assets to become their children’s first teachers, thus boosting academic outcomes for Latino students later in life.
Fast-forward three years, and Abriendo Puertas has taken off in Chicago. The Latino Policy Forum has shared the program with 27 local organizations who have, in turn, taught 1,000 Metro Chicago parents how to “open doors” for their children.... 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.
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