About prekinder.org

Pre-K Now is pleased to present a new campaign - Prekinder: Aprendiendo a aprender (Pre-k: Learning to Learn) - to provide Spanish speaking families with basic information about high-quality pre-kindergarten. This campaign is the result of two years of planning and research, led by a national committee of experts in Latino culture and education research.

While young Latinos are the fastest growing segment of our population and have had a history of lower school achievement levels, they are less likely than African American and white children to participate in pre-k programs. According to the most recent Census reports, one in five children under the age of five in the U.S. is Hispanic. Unfortunately, just 40 percent of Hispanic children attend pre-k, compared with 60 percent of their white and African American peers. Financial, linguistic, educational, and access barriers – including a general lack of information about the availability of programs and their benefits – account in large part for this pre-k enrollment gap. But together, we can overcome this gap. In order to ensure the educational success of Hispanic students and to raise pre-k enrollment to the same rate as other groups, it should be a priority to ensure that all young Latinos enter school ready to learn.

This campaign will help families make informed and confident decisions about pre-k and will support Pre-K Now's mission to collaborate with policymakers and advocates to lead a movement for high-quality, voluntary pre-k for all three and four year olds.

For more information about this campaign, please contact Danielle Gonzales at (202) 862-9861 or dgonzales@preknow.org

Prekinder.org National Committee of Experts

Miriam Calderón

Associate Director

Policy Analysis Center

National Council of La Raza

Eugene Garcia

Chair

National Task Force on Early Education for Hispanics

Vice President for University-School Partnerships

Arizona State University

Norma Garza

Senior Advisor

U.S. Department of Education

Luis Hernandez

Early Childhood Education Specialist

Training and Technical Assistance Services

Western Kentucky University

Graciela Italiano-Thomas

President and CEO

Thrive By Five Washington

Michael Lopez

Executive Director

National Center for Latino Child and Family Research

Jorge Saenz De Viteri

Executive Director

Bronx Community College

CUNY Child Development Center

Layla Wright-Contreras

Manager

Colorín Colorado

WETA