Springfield, IL (WAND) – Illinois is six months away from having a new state agency responsible for early childhood education programs. There have already been massive investments made in the Department of Early Childhood.
This agency will officially launch on July 1, roughly two years after Gov. JB Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1 into law.
The Department of Early Childhood will take over the state’s childhood block grant program, childcare assistance, home visiting and early intervention services. It will also be responsible for daycare licensing, which became a problem for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
“We can create an Illinois where no outcome is predetermined by race or zip code or socioeconomic status,” Pritzker said. “That all starts in these earliest years.”
Supporters of the law say this will improve the quality of childcare, ease financial burdens on parents and reshape communities for the future.
“Children across Illinois will see and learn that we love them and that we will do whatever it takes to make their futures as bright as possible.”
Recommendations to consolidate early childhood programs into one state agency first surfaced five years ago. Pritzker said he was excited to establish the department in 2024 and allow two years for the programs to transition under one roof.
“This initiative represents far more than restructuring,” said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood). “It symbolizes our commitment to a holistic trauma-informed approach to meeting the diverse needs of our youngest citizens.”
The law received strong bipartisan support in the House and Senate, although some Republicans argued that the new agency would cause more headaches for taxpayers. Every member of the Illinois Freedom Caucus voted against the plan.
“I don’t think anywhere in the history of government, especially in the history of government in the state of Illinois, have we created bureaucracy, especially massive bureaucracy, and it worked out well for the taxpayers at the end of the day,” said Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City).
State officials have worked with teachers, parents, providers and stakeholders to design the best framework for the agency.
You can learn more about the Department of Early Childhood by clicking here.
