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Early Childhood
The Illinois Department of Early Childhood officially launches July 1 after consolidating several state programs under one roof. Secretary Teresa Ramos talks to Chalkbeat about what’s next.
The Illinois Department of Early Childhood, an initiative championed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, has finally launched after a multiyear process to create the agency.
Play-based learning can look very different from classroom to classroom. Kids learn concepts through building, playing pretend, and creating art.
2026 will bring fresh budget issues and school board elections in Chicago, while Illinois leaders may have to grapple with a significant loss in federal child care funding.
Some Chicago Head Start providers are expecting funding grants to be renewed by Dec. 1, when their grant cycle is supposed to start. But they have yet to hear about the status of funding.
The incident happened in front of parents and children at Rayito de Sol in North Center, a parent said. They believe the employee, who cares for infants, is legally allowed to work in the United States.
A new Trump administration policy bars undocumented students from accessing Head Start, a 60-year-old program for low-income families.
The mayor said the raises are necessary to address a teacher shortage in the early childhood education sector.
Illinois child care providers worry what will happen to children and families if the Trump administration cuts funding to Head Start, a federal program that provides services to low-income families.
The Trump administration closed 5 out of 10 Head Start regional offices, including one in Chicago. A group of U.S. senators from the Midwest want to know what’s next for child care providers and families.
Early intervention services in Illinois are often blocked by low funding and bureaucracy.
Illinois Department of Early Childhood’s first secretary could be Teresa Ramos, a long-time education advocate, pending confirmation by the state Senate. Pritzker made the announcement Monday.
Differences in scores between student groups in Illinois tend to grow larger between kindergarten and third grade, the report found.
The change would help families of pre-K students who live outside a school’s boundary or attend one of 15 magnet schools.
The plan includes several priorities meant to bolster communities with high-needs, including to improve academic achievement for Black students and reduce teacher vacancies.
While many other professions have shifted to paid internships or apprenticeships, student teaching continues to be largely unpaid.
As federal COVID funds run out, the district is grappling with how to pay for universal preschool going forward.
Illinois plans to provide 5,800 additional preschool seats for the state’s youngest learners
The governor will work with the legislature in spring 2024 to formalize the new agency’s structure. He is appointing a transition director and advisory committee to help figure out how to bring together preschool funding, daycare licensing, early intervention, and the state’s child care assistance program.
At a town hall meeting Thursday, providers and parents appealed for funds to keep providers in business and services affordable for families.