“When the coronavirus hit Chicago, the city was approaching the halfway point of its four-year rollout of universal prekindergarten. By the 2021-22 school year, if all went according to plan, every 4-year-old could have a spot in a free full-day, pre-K program. As classrooms were phased in, the plan sought to prioritize communities with the greatest need for full-day options.” Yet since the pandemic, Chicago Public Schools have seen a significant decrease (by 44%) in pre-k enrollment, particularly among Black and Latino children. Evidence suggests that parents who are offered full-day, in-person pre-K near their homes, they tend to enroll in it. The city’s district is now aiming to open and expand pre-k programs throughout the city, particularly in areas where children have historically been under-enrolled in pre-K.
Submitted on: October 22, 2020
By: HANNAH LEONE