A new report from UNC Charlotte found that only 31% of Latino children in Mecklenburg County are enrolled in early childhood programs, compared to nearly half of Black children and two-thirds of white children.
"That's concerning just because we know it's one of the best ways to make sure that those children succeed in school, but also it's one of the best ways that cities make sure that they succeed and are economically prosperous," Charlotte sociology and public policy professor Stephanie Potochnick said.
Potochnick worked on the study and says the issue isn’t a lack of classroom space or financial barriers, but a lack of connection.
"Latino and early care providers have been concerned that even though the city's doing a lot, Latino families are being left out, that they're not being completely reached or fully engaged in this system," Potochnick said.
She says immigration enforcement has also created a fear that keeps some families from signing up, even when programs are free and open to everyone.
“We saw during the Obama and Bush era that places that had an immigration raid, a large-scale event, that Head Start enrollment for Latinos dropped by 10%,” Potochnick said.
Smart Start of Mecklenburg County is stepping in to provide some solutions. The nonprofit funds early education programs and oversees MECK Pre-K, a free preschool for four-year-olds.
"We know for sure that once we get more Spanish-speaking instructors in spaces, that also will be a draw for families, that's automatic," Smart Start's Chief Impact Officer Nicole Campbell said. "Once you know people and you feel trusted, they will send their children."
Campbell says Smart Start trains bilingual teachers, who are also Latina mothers, to work in early childhood classrooms.
"They take the classes and then also we give them a practicum because we administer Meck Pre-K, we have access to classrooms that we can get them in there," Campbell said.
She says representation is important for building trust with families and for making Mecklenburg County’s early childhood system more inclusive. 31% of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students are Hispanic, making up the second-biggest group in the district.
One of Smart Start’s close partners is Charlotte Bilingual Preschool, which the UNC Charlotte report says is a model for culturally inclusive education. The preschool is located in east Charlotte and opened in 1999. Its curriculum is intentionally rooted in culture and connection.
Charlotte Bilingual Preschool CEO Ana Silva Rey says families are very involved in the school. Parents attend classes on literacy, digital skills and child development.
"I would say 95% of our staff is bilingual, and that makes it very rich," Rey said. "It's a fun environment, but it also allows us to connect with our families, connect with our students, have that background that might be similar to their families."
The preschool serves over 200 children each year, primarily from immigrant households. 90% of children finish pre-K proficient in English, and 83% proficient in math. Rey says the goal is to prepare kids for Kindergarten and strengthen entire families.
"We would love to continue expanding, to continue serving more individuals, because we know that they are, there are many families that would like to have their children in our preschool," Rey said.
Researchers like Potochnick say that’s exactly what Mecklenburg County needs, and hopes programs are created to meet Latino families where they are.
"If Charlotte wants to become a first-rate city with economic opportunity, it has to invest in its young Latino child population," Potochnick said. "They're one in four of all children in Charlotte. They are the future workforce."
