After months of deliberation and negotiation with Congress, President Biden unveiled the Build Back Better Framework on October 28, 2021. This framework encapsulates tangible legislative actions to see through many of President Biden’s campaign promises, like the proposal to implement universal pre–K for all three-and four-year-olds. Previous research has found that universal access to pre–K has a positive impact on students’ academic performance and can also reap longer-term benefits to the U.S. economy. The legislative mock-up of the framework calls for dual language learners (DLLs) to be prioritized in outreach and expedited enrollment. This decision is in line with findings from a new report out of the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research which found positive correlations between early access to pre–K and long-term success for English learners (ELs).
In the report, English Learners in Chicago Public Schools: An Exploration of the Influence of Pre–K and Early Grade Years, researchers looked at 14,058 students in pre–K and 16,651 students in grades K-3 to investigate two primary questions...