Chicago Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot, along with early childcare partners, announced the release of the first publicly available Chicago Early Childhood Integrated Data System (CECIDS).
The CECIDS offers interactive data maps that will allow the public to access information on “how many children are eligible for services in each Chicago community and where those services are located,” states the press release.
“When I became Mayor, I promised Chicagoans that I would usher in a new generation of transparency in government,” said Mayor Lightfoot. “Today, we are delivering on that promise once again, this time for our youngest residents. CECIDS will bring greater visibility to the needs and experiences of Chicago’s children, enabling us to improve early childhood services for years to come.”
The program links data across systems and programs, creating actionable data insights that will help families, program administrators, funders, advocates, and policymakers.
The program was first prototyped by the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) in 2022 and was heralded as being a leading example in integrated data systems nationwide.
“DFSS is proud to have been a part of CECIDS from the beginning and paving the way for more transparent data management in early childhood education,” said Commissioner Brandie Knazze.
“This data is more than just numbers on a screen. It’s information about our children, and our teachers, and ultimately, it leads us to better outcomes for our early learners,” she said.
