catalyst-chicago.org

Journalist Paul Tough says many education reform efforts are bound to fail if they don’t address the non-cognitive qualities children need to succeed in school and beyond. The seeds for these qualities are planted in early childhood with a good bond between parent and child, which can protect a child from toxic stress. They also can be developed in the teenage years.

Recently, a group of Head Start programs sued the federal government alleging they were unfairly labeled as “deficient” and required to re-compete for funding.  While the lawsuit was not successful, the controversy is very instructive.  It reflects a much broader problem in the early education sector.  There are many methods for measuring quality that are widely debated and not easily understood by the general public. 

Under a new system announced by Mayor Rahm Emanuel Friday, preschool programs will vie against each other in a highly competitive process to win city and CPS contracts.

Emanuel unveiled the long-awaited process, and announced the city will add at least 2,000 new preschool slots next year and more in future years. Another 4,000 children will receive increased access to wraparound services through existing early childhood programs.