Description:
Decades of research have identified substantial benefits from participation in high-quality preschool programs for both individual children and their communities. The purpose of this report is to aid efforts to realize these benefits for children and communities across Illinois by providing an overview and analysis of existing preschool opportunities and outstanding needs in our state. The report begins with a discussion of the importance of preschool, particularly for certain populations of children, followed by an overview of research evidence on preschool disparities from nationally representative studies. We then present findings on funding and enrollment trends for state-funded preschool in Illinois, as well as findings from American Community Survey (ACS) data on participation in all public and private preschool programs in Illinois and other large states. We examine disparities related to family income and race-ethnicity, as well as geographic areas within Illinois. Appendices referenced throughout provide supplemental data and are located in the back of the report. (author abstract)
Resource Type:
Reports & Papers
Publisher(s):
Funder(s):
Country:
United States
State(s)/Territories/Tribal Nation(s):
Illinois