Mayor Brandon Johnson Hosts the Second Annual Early Childhood Town Hall and Announces the Launch of Every Child Ready Chicago Strategic Framework
November 13, 2024
Original coverage in a press release issued by the Office of the Mayor.
CHICAGO – Today, Mayor Brandon Johnson announced that the Mayor’s Office, in partnership with Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC) will host the second annual Early Childhood Town Hall, which includes the launch of the ECRC Strategic Framework. The ECRC Strategic Framework reflects the collective priorities of the administration and the community, presenting a roadmap for advancing those priorities collaboratively in order to build a stronger, more accessible and more equitable early childhood system in Chicago.
“This Town Hall is an essential opportunity to come together with community leaders, parents and educators to strengthen our early education and family support systems as we look toward a brighter future through 2025 and beyond,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “Every family in Chicago deserves access to quality early childhood education, which lays the foundation for lifelong success.”
The Town Hall was held at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) on Wednesday, November 13th, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., to celebrate the collaborative efforts of the ECRC Executive and Advisory Committees to advance early childhood priorities across Chicago. Attendees of the town hall 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.
Every Child Ready Chicago is a public-private partnership led by the Mayor’s Office in collaboration with Start Early (formerly the Ounce of Prevention Fund), focused on ensuring that all children in Chicago enter kindergarten prepared to succeed. This multi-year, collaborative effort aims to align support systems for children and families from prenatal-to-five, building the infrastructure needed to help thousands more Chicago children be ready for kindergarten.
Reflecting on the legacy of the late Barbara Taylor Bowman, founding mother of early childhood education and lifelong Chicagoan, Mayor Johnson emphasized her lasting impact on Chicago’s commitment to educational equity.
“Barbara Taylor Bowman’s legacy is deeply woven into Chicago’s early childhood education system, and her recent passing reminds us of the profound impact she made on our city,” Mayor Johnson continued. “As we launch the Every Child Ready Chicago Strategic Framework, we honor Barbara’s life’s work and unwavering commitment to equity and excellence in early childhood education, especially for underserved communities. Her vision continues to inspire our efforts to ensure that every child in Chicago, regardless of background, has the resources they need to succeed, which is at the heart of this framework and our shared goals for the future.”
Since its launch in 2019, ECRC has worked to unify the city’s early childhood system through collaboration with leaders from early childhood programs, research and advocacy organizations, parents and City of Chicago agencies. The ECRC Working Group will continue to guide the City of Chicago in developing an equitable, robust early childhood system, creating pathways for all young Chicagoans to thrive.
“As a member of Mayor Johnson’s education transition committee, I am proud to support this strategic framework that reflects the administration’s commitment to transparency and genuine community engagement,” said Nakisha S. Harris Hobbs, CEO and Founder of It Takes a Village (ITAV). “It is a testament to the power of listening to families, educators and community leaders as we work together to ensure every young learner in Chicago has the resources and opportunities they deserve. At ITAV, we know that equitable access to quality education can transform lives, and we are excited to see this vision come to life for all of Chicago’s children and families.”
For more information about Every Child Ready Chicago (ECRC) and its initiatives, please visit ECRC.org.