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Families across the city will be able to complete their application and begin the enrollment process for their child’s early education enrollment for the 2024–2025 school year at all CPS Pre-K programs and city-funded Community-Based Preschool and Early Learning programs.

Community-Based Preschool and Early Learning Programs operate at the same high standard, offer the same curriculum, are staffed by highly qualified teachers, and have a minimum of two educators in the classroom.

When applying, families will be able to choose from over 500+ high-quality early learning programs for every child in every neighborhood in Chicago.

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Community-Based Early Learning Programs and Preschool Programs that offer

• Early Head Start infant-toddler programs for children under the age of 3
• Head Start/Early Head Start programs for preschool-aged children
• Home-visiting programs for families who qualify
• Doula programs for pregnant mothers

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Click here to learn more!

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Many families have already enrolled their children in one of our 500+ high-quality early learning programs across the city. While our applications are open all year, seats are limited.

Do you still need to enroll your child in a program? Don't worry! There are open seats available at programs citywide. Apply today for the best chance of getting a seat in one of the available programs before they fill up.

Read our step-by-step guide below if you need help finding an early learning program with open seats.

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Community-Based Preschool and Early Learning Programs are citywide educational programs for children from 6-weeks to 5 years old, with options for home-visiting programs and prenatal services.

Community-Based Programs provide a wide range of support for families with little ones, including extended hours, smaller class sizes, and support services for the whole family. Community-Based sites include Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, Infant-Toddler programs and more.

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The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services is dedicated to supporting a continuum of coordinated services to enhance the lives of Chicago residents, particularly those most in need, from birth through the senior years.  The department works to promote the independence and well-being of individuals, support families and strengthen neighborhoods by providing direct assistance and administering resources to a network of community-based organizations, social service providers and institutions.

Being protected against COVID-19 is easier than ever. The City of Chicago operates vaccination sites that are open to children 6 (six) months and older.

Head Start programs can help families by:

• Learning about your state’s process and resources.
• Check your state’s timeline.
• Visit your state’s Medicaid and CHIP websites for resources and support.
• Sharing key information and messages with families.
• Show families how to update their contact information with their state’s Medicaid program, if needed.
• Encourage families to check their mail for an official letter with information about completing a renewal form and to submit it as soon as possible.
• Ask families if they would like help completing their renewal form. Remind them to report any changes to their address, phone number, email, household, job, income, disability status, or pregnancy.
• Making these resources available in your program and sharing them with families.
• Medicaid and CHIP Eligibility Renewals: A Communications Toolkit
  This 21-page toolkit includes strategies to help inform people about steps to renew their coverage or find other health care choices.
• Preserving Medicaid and CHIP Coverage
  Scroll down to the “State Unwinding Flyers” for state-specific posters in English and Spanish with phone numbers and websites for Medicaid and low-cost insurance options.
• Helping families who are no longer eligible for Medicaid find other types of free or low-cost insurance.

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Send your questions and comments to the National Center on Health, Behavioral Health, and Safety at health@ecetta.info or (toll-free) 888-227-5125.

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The 2023-2024 Chicago Early Learning Application will launch on Tuesday, April 11, 2023! There are plenty of low-cost or no-cost early education oprions for every child from birth through 5 years old!

This new service is a free, easy-to-access helpline that connects residents to the health and social service supports. Individuals from across Chicago and Cook County have a direct line that can help them get connected to food, housing, utility payment assistance, health care, transportation, childcare, employment, mental health, disaster information and assistance, and more.

Residents across Cook County can access 2-1-1 in the following ways:

By dialing 2-1-1

By texting 8-9-8-2-1-1

By visiting 211metrochicago.org and searching the database of services available on the website

By using the webchat feature on the website to connect with a live resource navigator

All 2-1-1 services are available 24/7/365

All 2-1-1 services will be available in English and Spanish

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Family vaccination clinics at City Colleges of Chicago will offer Pfizer and Moderna for children 6 months through 4 years old, as well as Pfizer vaccines and booster doses to all Chicagoans. All clinics will be open 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Registration is recommended and is available at the links below. Walk-ins will be accommodated as space allows.

Winter dates are now available at https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/sites/covid19-vaccine/home/city-sites.html

*Please remember to bring the COVID-19 vaccination card you received from your medical provider.

The Department of Family and Support Services has opened an initial application round for the Chicago Resiliency Fund 2.0, which will provide one-time, $500 relief payments to up to 4,000 eligible Chicagoans in its first round of payments. The purpose of the fund ($14.68M in total) is to provide relief to low-income Chicagoans who had difficulties accessing prior federal stimulus payments, including Dependent Youth, Dependent Adults, Domestic Workers, and Undocumented Residents.  

This initial round of applications is open to Chicago Residents who claimed a Dependent 17 years or older on their 2019 taxes. The person submitting this application must be the individual who filed the taxes in 2019.

Residents of Chicago must also meet the following criteria to apply:

• 18 years or Older
• Is a current Chicago resident
• Has a household income less than or equal to 300% of the Federal Poverty Level ($69,090 for a household of 3)

This application will be open through Saturday, December 31, 5:00pm.  Residents can visit  www.chicash.org to learn more and apply.

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