New EC*REACH Publication: Access to Free, Full-Day Pre-K by School Racial and Ethnic Characteristics
In this report, we examine trends in access to free, full-day pre-K in CPS schools categorized by the race and ethnicity of the students they serve. We find that Chicago Universal Pre-Kindergarten expansion succeeded in increasing access across the city while still prioritizing and maintaining access for racially marginalized communities.
This report examines access to free, full-day pre-K in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) based on the race and ethnicity of students they serve. In this report, patterns of access to free, full-day pre-K by school-level racial and ethnic characteristics show the success of Chicago’s efforts to equitably expand access. Prior to the 2019 UPK expansion, availability of free, full-day pre-K varied across schools by the racial and ethnic characteristics of the students they serve. Enrollment and capacity were highest among Majority Black schools, and lowest among schools with Majority White/Asian or Other schools. This pattern reflects the aims of the city’s initial, targeted expansion efforts which began in 2013.
Our findings demonstrate that the 2019 UPK expansion increased capacity and enrollment across the city for all three groups of schools (Majority Black, Majority Hispanic, and Majority White/Asian or Other). However, there were varying patterns in how growth occurred across the three school groups. The UPK expansion itself had the largest effects on schools with Majority White/Asian or Other schools, but this was because Majority Black and Majority Hispanic schools had higher rates before the expansion. Taken together, these results indicate the Chicago UPK succeeded in increasing access to free, full-day pre-K across the city while still prioritizing and maintaining access for historically marginalized communities.
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