About this srcd poster session

---

Panel information
Panel 18. School Readiness/Childcare

Abstract

---

The provision of Early Care and Education (ECE) has gained significant attention in recent years as policymakers recognize the critical role of early learning in child development and long-term academic success. In the 2018-2019 school year, the City of Chicago, under the leadership of the Office of the Mayor, launched an ambitious Universal Pre-K (UPK) expansion program aimed at providing "free, full-day pre-kindergarten for all four-year-olds." The rollout occurred in phases by community area, prioritizing those with the highest levels of economic need, with the goal of achieving full access to high-quality early learning by 2023. This program was implemented through a mixed delivery system involving both Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and Community-Based Organizations (CBOs).

While existing evaluations of the UPK program (Gonzalez et al., 2021) indicate a significant increase in ECE access across diverse sociodemographic groups, the effects of the expansion on the operational landscape of the diverse array of ECE providers in Chicago warrant a detailed analysis. This study explores the perspectives of CPS principals and CBO directors regarding the impacts of UPK on their operations, enrollment dynamics, financial sustainability, and market positioning. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with CPS and CBO administrators (n=25) directly involved in the UPK rollout.

The analysis highlights differences in how CPS and CBO providers perceive the UPK expansion's effects, with a particular focus on changes in demand, resource allocation, and administrative coordination. Initial findings suggest that while CPS may have benefited from increased enrollment and funding stability, the expansion has brought significant challenges, particularly, to some CBOs regarding competition with CPS, teacher retention, and financial sustainability. Despite these challenges, CBOs have demonstrated resilience and adaptability in program offerings, leveraging their deep community ties.

The findings from this research contribute to the broader understanding of how large-scale policy initiatives impact the local ECE market, particularly in cities employing mixed delivery models. By examining the experiences of CPS and CBO administrators, this study offers insights into both the benefits and challenges of implementing universal access to pre-kindergarten. These insights can inform policymakers and stakeholders involved in ECE provision on how to support diverse types of providers more effectively, ensuring that the intended goals of UPK—equitable access and improved early learning outcomes—are fully realized.

Author information

Author	Role
Mr. Sosthene Guei, Northwestern University	Presenting author

⇦ Back to session