2024 ECRC Strategic Framework
We are excited to introduce the Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC) Strategic Framework, a comprehensive three-year plan to ensure that every young child in Chicago has equitable access to high-quality early childhood education and resources. Developed in partnership with the Mayor's Office, this framework is a roadmap to creating a brighter future for our city’s youngest residents.
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.
Join Us at the ECRC Strengthening Inclusion Symposium
Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC), a public-private partnership led by the Mayor’s Office in partnership with Start Early, is partnering with Chicago Public Schools to host the ECRC Strengthening Inclusion Symposium on Saturday, December 7th, from 10 AM to 2 PM at Malcolm X College.
The purpose of this event is to bring together a diverse audience with interest in early intervention and early childhood special education to learn about issues impacting young children with disabilities in Chicago, learn about inclusive models of service delivery and their benefits to all children, share and discuss challenges in various settings, and provide input to on how to improve inclusion for young children with disabilities in Chicago. Contact Madison Ezell at mezell@startearly.org with any questions or concerns.
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2024 Early Childhood Town Hall
The town hall attendees engaged in a comprehensive overview of the new framework and received updates on the state of early childhood programming and initiatives led by City of Chicago agencies.
This included presentations by the following sister agencies: Chicago Department of Family and Support Services, Chicago Department of Public Health, and Chicago Public Schools, along with early childhood partners: Birth to Five Illinois, EC-Reach and the Center for Early Learning Funding Equity.
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, ODS - 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
- Cindy La - Chinese American Service League
- Marquinta Thomas - Illinois Action for Children
- Home Based Child Care Provider - Ruth Kimble - Austin Childhood Providers’ Network ECE
- Center Based Child Care Provider
- Anita Andrews - Hutchinson - It Takes A Village Family of Schools
- 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
- Destiny Ortega - Crown Family Philanthropies
- Advocates
- Rosario Hernandez - Latino Policy Forum
- Talibah Moore - COFI
- Parents
- Lisa Radcliffe
- Mykela Collins
- Labor
- Melody Benjamin - SEIU Healthcare