Thomas Early Childhood Center

www.cps.edu

123 Students

Pre Kindergarten Pre-K - Pre-K

School Overview

Thomas Early Childhood Center, located in the McKinley Park neighborhood of Chicago, serves as a specialized educational facility dedicated to the foundational development of the city's youngest learners. As part of the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) system, the center focuses exclusively on early childhood education, typically catering to preschool and pre-kindergarten students. The school is designed to provide a nurturing, structured environment that promotes social-emotional growth, cognitive development, and early literacy and numeracy skills, effectively preparing children for the transition into elementary school.

The center acts as a vital community resource for families in the 60609 area, offering high-quality early learning opportunities that emphasize play-based instruction and developmentally appropriate practices. By prioritizing small group interactions and a curriculum tailored to early developmental milestones, Thomas Early Childhood Center aims to bridge the achievement gap before students reach kindergarten. Its location on S. Hoyne Ave makes it a central hub for neighborhood families seeking a supportive educational start for their children within the public school framework.

123

Total Students

15.5

Full-Time Teachers

7.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

N/A

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Thomas Early Childhood Center
Demographic	Student Count
White	19
Hispanic	89
Black	3
Asian	8
Two or More	4

Hispanic
89 (72.4%)
White
19 (15.4%)
Asian
8 (6.5%)
Two or More
4 (3.3%)
Black
3 (2.4%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Pre Kindergarten
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Chicago Public Schools Dist 299
Phone:	(773)535-4088
Website:	http://www.cps.edu
Grade Range:	Pre-K - Pre-K
Total Students:	123
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	15.5
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	7.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	0
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Pre-Kindergarten 123