Early Childhood Initiatives in Illinois

This is a visual representation of six credential levels ranging from noncredit community-based training through completion of a graduate degree. Each credential level combines education, work and practical experience, and professional contributions in the field of early care and education. By advancing on the career lattice, practitioners can potentially open up additional career opportunities for themselves.

In 2004, the Illinois Department of Human Services established Caregiver Connections to bring mental health services to Illinois child care providers. This unique, free support program helps child care providers recognize, understand, and respond to the social-emotional needs of the children, birth through age 5, in their care. Local Caregiver Connections consultants and the local Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) agencies share the same territories and work in partnership to provide training and technical assistance to Illinois child care providers. The project is funded by the Illinois Department of Human Services and coordinated by Chaddock.

This is a nationally recognized group that brings together hundreds of organizations and individuals to confront childhood obesity in Chicago. CLOCC fosters and facilitates connections among researchers; public health advocates and practitioners; corporations; policy makers; and children, families, and communities.

This is a Preschool Least Restrictive Environment initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education. The project promotes increasing high quality inclusive education for each and every preschool aged child by providing technical assistance and professional development to early childhood professionals and families in Illinois.

This is a public-private partnership created in 2003 by Public Act 93-380, strengthens, coordinates and expands programs and services for children birth to age 5 throughout Illinois. With a membership including senior state officials and non-government stakeholders appointed by the governor, the Early Learning Council builds on current programs to ensure a comprehensive, statewide early learning system (preschool, child care, Head Start, health care, and support programs for parents) to improve the lives of Illinois children and their families. The Early Learning Council also oversees the state involvement in the Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge.

This is a statewide quality rating and improvement system designed to make continuous quality improvement an everyday priority among early learning and development providers. The program establishes standards for helping infants, toddlers, and preschool -age children develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. It provides a framework for early learning and development professionals to identify opportunities for improvement, increase their skills, and take steps to make positive changes. ExceleRate Illinois is administered through the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) under the joint direction of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development, the Illinois Department of Human Services, and the Illinois State Board of Education.

Great START (Strategy to Attract and Retain Teachers) can provide you with extra money on top of what you’re already making. Great START is a wage supplement program that rewards eligible early care and education practitioners in DCFS-licensed child care centers and family child care providers for receiving higher education and remaining at their current place of employment.

Several state initiatives serving young children are supported by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), including Preschool for All, Prevention Initiative, Early Childhood Special Education, Early Childhood Professional Development, and the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS). Call (217) 524-4835

This website provides a central place for Illinois early childhood care and education professionals to learn more about how to expand, deepen, or build new local early childhood collaborations in your community. Resources and information on this website will focus on how to use a community systems development approach to strengthen and improve early childhood services and systems in local communities.

This page provides information and links for specific requirements of implementing the Preschool for All grant.

This is an individual-based scholarship opportunity for eligible practitioners working in early care and education (ECE) or school-age care programs.

This is an initiative of Illinois AEYC and provides support and assistance to child care/early education programs in centers engaged in quality improvement with intent to achieve program accreditation. The program supports a variety of accreditation initiatives including the National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, and the National Administrator Credential. Use the Illinois AEYC online form or call (800) 773-0369