Central Research Questions

• What are the characteristics, developmental levels, and school readiness skills of children attending Chicago's early childhood education programs in the fall of 2006?
• What are the characteristics of teachers and classrooms in Chicago's early childhood education programs?
• What developmental progress do children make during the preschool year?  How are family background characteristics and classroom environments related to children's developmental progress during the year?

Research Sample

• 711 4-year-old students in 95 CYS and CPS programs
• Programs included
  1. Preschool for All in CPS schools only
  2. half-day Head Start in CPS schools and community-based organizations
  3. full-day Head Start and child care in community-based organizations

What C-PEP Measured

• Cognitive development
• Social-emotional development
• Classroom quality and teacher behavior

 Key Findings

• Chicago's early childhood programs serve a diverse population with a high concentration of at-risk children
• Classroom quality matters in many areas, and Chicago's classrooms meet national norms
• Children are making significant gains but we need to do more