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Which neighborhoods in Chicago have the most unmet demand for state preschool and Head Start seats? Does the number of bilingual residents in an area correlate with the number of bilingual students served in schools? Mapping data provided answers and insight.
The Story Behind the Project
Many Latino children, particularly those from immigrant families, are less likely to attend preschool than white or African-American children, according to education experts. Team Ranch wondered whether access was one of the barriers in Chicago.
Team members found a strong statistical correlation between the number of residents in a community area who speak languages other than English and unmet demand for state preschool and Head Start seats. They did their analysis by mapping early childhood education sites in the city and using data from the U.S. Census compiled by Migrahack mentor Rob Paral.
The team also created other maps that showed large number of bilingual students in areas in areas that have fewer bilingual residents. These maps, done with data from the Census and Chicago Public Schools, raise questions about how schools identify and track bilingual students.
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