Education

Bright Future Chicago Pushes for Universal Preschool

This morning members of the newly launched Bright Future Chicago campaign announced a resolution calling for universal early care and childhood education for all Chicago children under the age of 5.

To illustrate the lack of accessible early care and education, parents, children, and advocates set up a functioning classroom on the second floor of City Hall and conducted a math lesson that demonstrated how Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s current budget for preschool child care and education doesn’t add up. Brandis Friedman has more on the campaign.

• Read the resolution, which will be presented to City Council on Wednesday, Sept. 10.

In 2006, Illinois became the first state in the U.S. to create and support preschool options for all 3- and 4-year-olds. Preschool For All focuses on aiding the most at-risk children with a variety of programs.  The Illinois State Board of Education provides a list of preschool programs in Cook County. Programs are separated into two categories: birth to 3 years old and 3 to 5 years old.

View a map of the 2014 programs offered in Cook County.

--Map by Travis Cornejo