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Access Plays a Key Role in Pre-K Enrollment

NORC Article

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October 2020

Because most school-based pre-K planning is done at the individual school level rather than the district level, coordinated efforts at improving pre-K access are infrequently tried, and even more infrequently tested. In 2013, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) overhauled the way they provided school-based, full-day pre-K in the hope of increasing enrollment among “high-priority” students, including students of color, low-income students, and non-English speakers.

“Until we have pre-K for all, school districts are going to have to set priorities and make plans that reflect those priorities. Our study shows that city-wide plans like those implemented in Chicago can really make a difference, and hopefully gives other municipalities and school districts the confidence to move forward with similar efforts.”

Senior Research Scientist

“Until we have pre-K for all, school districts are going to have to set priorities and make plans that reflect those priorities. Our study shows that city-wide plans like those implemented in Chicago can really make a difference, and hopefully gives other municipalities and school districts the confidence to move forward with similar efforts.”

CPS re-allocated pre-K classrooms—particularly the placement of full-day classrooms—centralized the enrollment process, and had parent ambassadors in neighborhoods to help families apply. A recent study by NORC, Start Early (formerly the Ounce of Prevention Fund), and the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research found that CPS’s efforts were associated with a three-fold increase in full-day, school-based pre-K enrollment among the high-priority student groups. A follow-up study will examine the impact of CPS’s pre-K efforts on student outcomes.


NORC’s Evaluation of CPS’s Pre-K Access Efforts

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Because most school-based pre-K planning is done at the individual school level rather than the district level, coordinated efforts at improving pre-K access are infrequently tried, and even more infrequently tested.

This article is from our flagship newsletter, NORC Now. NORC Now keeps you informed of the full breadth of NORC’s work, the questions we help our clients answer, and the issues we help them address.

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