El Hogar del Niño recently reached a long-term goal, gaining National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation. This accreditation is highly sought out by childhood centers. NAEYC accreditation signifies that we have a high quality of education. The accreditation comes from the nation’s leading organizations for early childhood professionals. The NAEYC organization will receive annual reports from El Hogar del Niño. NAEYC accreditation will last for five years. Between 2000 and 2008, the percentage of Pilsen’s population between ages 5 and 18 increased by 2.3 percent to 26.3 percent while the city of Chicago’s population of the same ages only increased by 1 percent to 21 percent.

According to the Latino Policy Forum, one in three Latino parents in IL can find a preschool slot for their child, compared to almost two-thirds of other parents. Sharp disparities in preschool supply in heavily Latino neighborhoods contribute to wide gaps in early learning – even before children enter kindergarten.