2019 Annual Year in Review

Preparing children for a bright future

Each year, more than 1 million children in the U.S. enter kindergarten unprepared and that number is growing every year. That’s why our mission of ensuring that all children, especially those most in need, have access to the highest quality care and education is more important than ever.

Thanks to dedicated early learning champions like you, we are proud to share the tremendous progress we made in 2019. This year some of the highlights were expanding access to programs and support services; contributing groundbreaking research; and shaping legislation on the local, state and national levels.

Read the Ounce's 2019 Year in Review to learn how we are helping prepare our children for a bright future.

Did you know?

Survey shows bipartisan support for early learning

A survey conducted by our partners at the First Five Years Fund showed that Republicans, Independents and Democrats all support proposals that will help more families access high-quality early learning and care opportunities. 81% of policymakers support increased federal funding for states to create or build on programs that directly help children from under-resourced communities.

Learn more about our research work this past year

Tracking the accomplishments of Educare Chicago graduates

STUDY: Enriching our programs based on data-driven research

Each year, our research team conducts a survey focused on tracking the achievements of graduates from Educare Chicago, our birth to five early education school, in their K-12 schooling and beyond. The ongoing study has been conducted since 2000 with more than 300 graduates and families taking part in the survey.

The study findings help support the Ounce’s early childhood policy and advocacy work, drive quality improvement at Educare Chicago and the national Educare Learning Network of schools, as well as contribute to the body of evidence that confirms the long-lasting, positive outcomes of a high-quality early educational experience.

Click here to read more about the Educare Follow-Up Study.

Ounce research highlighted in respected early childhood journal

ARTICLE: Supporting early childhood teachers creates better learning experience for children

“If we want teachers to nourish our children, we must first nourish our teachers,” writes Debra Pacchiano, the Ounce’s vice president of translational research.

Debra is one of the authors of the recently published research in Young Children, a highly respected, peer-reviewed journal focusing on prominent issues in early education. She is also one of the architects of the Ounce’s Early Education Essentials—a measurement system for program improvement in early childhood environments.

Read Debra’s blog to learn more about why supportive environments for teachers is so critical to improving outcomes for our youngest learners.

Early Childhood Heroes, KPMG's Family for Literacy

See how you doubled your impact

KPMG matches your donations with books for kids

Thanks to generous supporters like you, we had our most successful Giving Tuesday yet. This year, we partnered with KPMG's Family for Literacy program who matched funds raised during the day with $10,000 worth of books for children at 26 early childhood programs.

We are grateful to have such a dedicated partner in KPMG who believes in our mission to ensure our earliest learners have the best start in school and life.

Recently, we sat down with Kerri Neis, associate director at KPMG, to discuss why fighting illiteracy and supporting the Ounce is important to the company.

Save the Date! Annual Luncheon - Monday, April 27, Presented by Peoples Gas

Hear why early learning is the best investment for children

Professor Pedro A. Noguera named luncheon keynote speaker

The Ounce is thrilled to welcome critically acclaimed scholar and activist Pedro A. Noguera, Ph.D, as the keynote speaker for the Ounce’s Annual Luncheon on Monday, April 27 in Chicago. Noguera is a distinguished professor of education in the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies at UCLA, focusing his work on the impact of social and economic conditions on the education system.

Each spring, the Ounce’s Annual Luncheon brings together more than 800 business leaders, early childhood professionals, researchers and legislators to unite in the shared mission of providing the highest quality care and education to children from birth to age 5.

Read more about Professor Noguera and reserve your table or tickets today!

The Ounce of Prevention Fund gives children in poverty the best chance for success in school and in life by advocating for and providing the highest-quality care and education from birth to age five.

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