Universal Pre-K For Four-Year-Olds By 2021

This week, Chicago Public Schools took a significant step toward universal Pre-K for all four-year-olds. With the support of Mayor Emanuel, CPS is investing $20 million to bring full-day Pre-K to an additional 3,700 students, a 50 percent increase from SY 17-18. This new investment will provide greater access to high-quality early childhood education for working families all across Chicago.

“We are trying to make this universal for all 4-year-olds, no catch,” said CEO Janice K. Jackson, adding that it’s about access. “We are serving early learners and we know that access to early learning prepares students and puts them on track for success in later grades.”

Details of the plan was shared at a convening of principals, community leaders and elected officials at Truman College. The investment will set the stage to expand access to universal Pre-K for approximately 24,000 4-year-olds over the next five years with a focus on serving children and families most in need of services.

This fall, CPS will convert programs to full-day, while offering support for teachers and principals. Our timeline will also depend on how much partnership we get from the state to help us fund this program.

“With this investment, we won’t see it in a building, but in the future of the City of Chicago,” said Mayor Emanuel. “Each year we will get more kids because we aren’t ready right now. Just getting it done isn’t good enough, doing it right, is. We have to get it right, which means phasing in like we did kindergarten.”

With this expansion, Chicago students will receive an additional 3.5 years of classroom time since 2011.

“Getting students into school sooner and creating an early childhood to college continuum is personal for me,” said Dr. Jackson. “The Pre-K program at Cook Elementary put me on my path to success, and it is critically important that all students are able to receive a high-quality early childhood education like the one I was afforded.”

Chicago will continue to have Chicago Early Learning preschool programs in both elementary schools and community-based child care settings, so parents can choose the programs that best meet their needs. Access to all CPS funded programs is through the online preschool application at ChicagoEarlyLearning.org. Placement into Chicago Early Learning preschool programs is prioritized by need and age, based on parents’ top choices for their children’s education.