Policy changes in Chicago improve enrollment of disadvantaged children in pre-K

New research finds that policy changes have helped support more equitable enrollment in Chicago Public Schools’ pre-kindergarten programs over the past seven years of implementation. In fact, preschool enrollment has tripled among Black children and children from the lowest-income areas. Policy changes included ensuring classrooms were located close to families’ residences, prioritizing full-day over part-time seats, grassroots marketing to inform parents about local options, and a new centralized, city-wide enrollment system that can hold seats for disadvantaged students. These changes were informed by city officials’ data analysis of neighborhoods that identified and mapped the greatest unmet early education needs. Other cities could undertake a similar process to support pre-K enrollment for disadvantaged children. #education #racialequity