Pritzker Signs SB1, Creating the
Department of Early Childhood
New state agency will unify early
childhood services for young children
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[June 25, 2024]
Today,
Governor JB Pritzker joined elected officials, early childhood
advocates, and education leaders to sign Senate Bill 0001 into law,
officially establishing Illinois’ new Department of Early Childhood.
The new state agency, first proposed by Governor Pritzker in October
2023, will focus exclusively on early childhood programs and
services for young children, improving equity and accessibility for
families and caregivers.
“Our state-funded early childhood programs operate across three
different state agencies, putting an unnecessary burden on those
families looking for support and on those providing the support
that’s needed,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “I am very proud to usher
in the beginning of a new era for early childhood education and care
in Illinois – as we create the Department of Early Childhood. Once
fully implemented in 2026, this new agency will make life simpler,
better, and fairer for tens of thousands of Illinois families.”
“The launch of the Department of Early Childhood puts the needs of
our youngest learners front and center,” said Lt. Governor Juliana
Stratton. “We're making it easier for parents to find quality care
and education, no matter their zip code. This new agency marks a
transformative step in ensuring that every child in Illinois has
access to the high-quality care and education they deserve.”
Currently, services for young children are housed in three separate
agencies: the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Illinois
Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Illinois Department of
Children and Family Services (DCFS). Navigating the current system
is complex and inefficient, often leaving service gaps and
challenges for historically underserved communities. With this new
agency, early childhood programs will be unified to improve ease and
availability for families and providers seeking state resources,
including:
The Early Childhood Block Grant at ISBE, which funds Preschool for
All and the Prevention Initiative programs
The Child Care Assistance Program, Home-Visiting programs, and Early
Intervention services at DHS
Day care licensing currently managed by DCFS.
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The transition will be led by education expert Ann
Whalen, who has a background in education policy and teacher
retention, and the Department of Early Childhood will begin
administering all new programs in FY27 (July 1, 2026). Until then,
programs will continue to be housed in legacy agencies as the State
works with educators, parents, providers, and stakeholders to design
the ideal framework and practical rollout for the new agency.
“Early childhood is the most critical period in child development.
Ensuring that Illinois families can quickly and easily find and
navigate the services they need for their children during this
crucial period is truly smart government, and an important step
toward making Illinois the best state in the country to raise a
family,” said DCFS Director, Heidi E. Mueller. “Illinois DCFS is
proud to support the new Department of Early Childhood and we are
thrilled to be part of an active process of stakeholder engagement
and transformation as this new agency is created. We could not ask
for a better team than those around this table—including our sister
agencies, Gov. Pritzker and Ann Whalen—and are grateful for the
support, dedication and vision they have brought to this effort.”
"IDHS is proud to have played a role in strengthening and
centralizing services such as early intervention, child care, and
home visiting through our Division of Early Childhood – which
launched in 2021 under Governor Pritzker's visionary leadership,"
said IDHS Secretary Designate, Dulce M. Quintero. "This new law will
further unify efforts to support our youngest residents and their
families – and we applaud this major investment in our shared
futures."
"Today marks a significant milestone in our commitment to providing
equitable and accessible early childhood education and services to
all families in Illinois," said State Superintendent of Education
Dr. Tony Sanders. "The effort to bring the state’s early childhood
programs under one roof has required thoughtful collaboration and
planning across many stakeholders. The end result will improve
coordination, equity, and outcomes for the many excellent early
education and care providers across the state and the young minds
they serve. When we invest in our children, we invest in our
future."
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Thanks to work from the Illinois
Early Learning Council, the Transition Advisory Committee, as
well as bill co-sponsors Senate Majority Leader Kimberly A.
Lightford and Representative Mary Beth Canty, the Pritzker
administration continues to advance its mission to make Illinois
the best state in the nation to raise a family.
“The foundation of a child’s success and well-being
is built starting the moment they are born,” said Leader Lightford
(D-Maywood). “As a state, it is our duty to provide the necessary
support and resources to build such stability. The creation of this
unique agency will break ground on our transition to a whole,
trauma-informed approach to meeting children’s diverse needs.”
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"Consolidating essential services for Illinois
families under one banner will improve the quality of Illinois
childcare, ease financial burdens on parents, and reshape our
community's future for the better," said State Rep. Mary Beth Canty
(D-Arlington Heights). "This milestone makes it clear that in
Illinois we care about supporting families from the moment they
start." “This is a significant
step forward in our commitment to early childhood education,” said
State Senator Mike Halpin (D-Rock Island). “The creation of the
Department of Early Childhood ensures access to quality learning
opportunities and better outcomes for our kids.”
“Our commitment to children and families does not stop at early
childhood education,” said State Senator Adriane Johnson (D- Buffalo
Grove). “In creating the Department of Early Childhood, we are able
to not only set a strong learning foundation for children, but also
offer valuable support to families.”
“Illinois has been a champion in education, ensuring every child is
set up to be a lifelong learner at an early age,” said State Senator
Meg Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “As a former educator, I’m
confident this is a necessary step for kids across the state to be
given more opportunities to succeed with the support, resources and
stability they need and deserve.”
“High-quality early learning experiences should be the starting
point for every child,” said Leader Morrison (D-Lake Forest). “The
new Department of Early Childhood will remove barriers and open
doors for families across the state, building a strong foundation
for children’s academic, social and emotional development.”
“Too often I heard from parents, providers, educators and guardians
that navigating the state's early childhood education system was too
convoluted, time consuming and inefficient, with relevant programs
scattered throughout our state agencies," said Rep. Will Davis
(D-Hazel Crest). "This new department centralizes these critical
services, so those who care for our children are able to quickly
access them. When it comes to the wellbeing and education of our
children, time is of the essence and it is paramount that we build a
state that is able to quickly coordinate and deliver much-needed
resources to those most in need."
“Today we’re better focusing our resources to tackle challenges with
early childhood education and care through a lens of equity,” said
Leader Lilly (D-Chicago). “These investments will help to build the
strong foundation needed for our youngest to succeed, and are going
to create better outcomes for children of every background in every
part of our state. I would like to also thank Governor Pritzker for
his dedication to address the needs of our children. As a member of
the Early Learning Council, I see that our work has made a
difference and I'm excited to see the impact it will have.”
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“Study after scientific study shows that the first
years in a child’s life are critical to their future development,
but our state priorities have fallen short of supporting those early
developmental goals,” said Leader Hernandez (D-Cicero). “As families
face rising costs and more responsibilities at home, they deserve a
state that will have their backs. By creating this new department
and pooling resources, expertise and know-how, we can best do that.
Today’s action is in service of a goal legislators, advocates and
families all share: making sure our children can learn the
fundamentals that will carry them through the rest of their lives.”
"Today we are creating the foundation to give Illinois’ youngest
residents the educational start they deserve," said State Rep. Joyce
Mason (D-Gurnee). "Every child, regardless of the conditions of
their birth or unique educational needs, should have an equal chance
to flourish. As Chairperson of the Childcare Accessibility and Early
Childhood Education Committee, I know what we are doing today is
laying the groundwork for a new agency that will provide streamlined
access for families and give providers more time to focus on our
little ones.”
[Office of the Governor JB Pritzker] |