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Every Child Ready Chicago

Child painting in Chicago Early Learning classroom

About Every Child Ready Chicago


Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC)
is a public-private partnership led by the Mayor’s Office in partnership with Start Early (formerly known as the Ounce of Prevention Fund) working to ensure all children in Chicago enter kindergarten ready to succeed in school and life. The multi-year, collective effort will work to align the prenatal-to-five systems and support serving Chicago children and families under a unified vision and build the early childhood systems infrastructure needed for thousands more children to enter kindergarten ready to learn.

Chicago has a strong history of investing in early learning opportunities that begin at birth and are delivered in both school and community-based settings. The initiative will build on this strong foundation to set forth — and achieve — a vision of a coherent prenatal-to-five system that provides equitable access to supports and services that ensure the highest outcomes for our city’s youngest learners.

ECRC launched in the Fall of 2019 by bringing together leaders from early childhood programs and services, the research and advocacy communities, parents and families of young children, and city agencies to create a shared vision of success for the city’s system for its young children and their families. This Early Childhood Working Group will guide the City and inform the development and implementation of a plan to create a strong, equitable early childhood system with positive outcomes for all children.

Questions? You can contact us via email at ECRC@cityofchicago.org.

2023 Early Childhood Virtual Town Hall


On September 26, 2023, the Mayor’s Office in coordination with Every Child Ready Chicago, hosted an Early Childhood Town Hall to share the vision for new era of community driven policy and shared decision making to shape the future of early childhood systems prenatal to five. To learn more, you can watch the recorded session by visiting the link below.

View the Q&A here.

Access the Recording View Presentation Deck

Children work together on art project in Chicago Early Learning classroom

Our Purpose

Every Child Ready Chicago is an initiative to build a coherent prenatal to five system that provides equitable access to the supports and services families need.


Our Role

  • Advise the Mayor’s Office, Chicago Public Schools, Department of Family and Support Services and other relevant city agencies on priorities and activities related to building a strong early learning system in Chicago.
  • Provide a space for transparent and timely sharing of information and resources.
  • Provide a platform for supporting collaboration across the early childhood community in Chicago.

About the ECRC Executive Committee

The ECRC Executive Committee will exist to provide strategic leadership and direction to ensure the sustainability of the ECRC Advisory Council and that it is meeting its purpose, role, and goals. The Executive Committee Members are responsible for stewarding the work of Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC) forward.

ECRC Executive Committee Members

  • CPS - Early Childhood - Leslie McKinily
  • CPS, ODLSS - Dr. Carrie Comer-Yates
  • CDPH - Madeline Shea
  • DFSS - Cerathel Burgess Burnett
  • Birth to Five Illinois Region 1-A (City of Chicago) - Edna Navarro-Vidaurre
  • Early Childhood CBOs
    • Position Open
  • Home Based Child Care Provider - Ruth Kimble
  • Center Based Child Care Provider
    • Anita Andrews-Hutchinson - It Takes A Village Family of Schools

  • Early Intervention /IDEA Part C
    • Roberta Hansen - IL DHS Early Intervention-Child & Family Connections #11
  • Home Visiting - LaTanya Gray - Primo Center
  • Funder / Philanthropic Partners
    • Carmen Garcia - Irving Harris Foundation
  • Advocates
    • Rosario Hernandez - Latino Policy Forum
    • Talibah Moore - Cofi
  • Parents
    • Lisa Radcliffe
    • Mykela Collins

Meeting Minutes and Agendas

Shared Learning Journeys

Prenatal to 3 Initiatives PN3

Special Education/Early Intervention

Early Childhood Data and Equity

ECRC is made possible by founding gifts from

Sponsors