In this study, the author and her colleagues examined the higher education pipeline of Early Childhood teachers in Chicago in order to make recommendations for strategies to increase the number of qualified Early Childhood teachers. Key findings of this study include: (1) The Chicago Early Childhood Education (ECE) pipeline for undergraduate students is slow moving due to the large percentage of Pre-candidates, many of whom are enrolled in eight or fewer semester hours; (2) Under-preparedness is one of the most significant challenges for students moving through the pipeline; (3) Undergraduate students' reasons for not being enrolled in the ECE program in Fall 2007 are related to prerequisites (including passing the Illinois Basic Skills Test) and financial issues; however, specific reasons vary depending on the group; (4) Students "own desire and determination" was the primary reason for Candidates and Graduated students' ability to persist in or graduate from the ECE program; (5) Students who "leaked" from the ECE program appear to be exploring the ECE major and are not yet committed to the field of Early Childhood teaching; (6) Large disparities exist in students' perceptions and the institutions' records of the 2007 enrollment status; and (7) Further research studies would provide details on additional factors that affect attendance patterns. Appendices include: (1) Detailed Data Tables; and (2) Examples of Support Programs. (Contains 19 tables, 15 figures, and 6 footnotes.)