Alignment. Quality. Access.
OECD leads the state's initiatives to create an integrated system of quality, early learning and development programs to help give all Illinois children a strong educational foundation before they begin kindergarten.
Learn more.
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Theresa Hawley
Executive Director |
Dear Early Learning Partner,
April certainly was an exciting and busy month in the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development! A major Federal report (detailed below) looks to change the course of early childhood educator preparation and direct the vision of the U.S. Department of Education for years to come. We've happily hired our newest team member, Preschool Expansion Policy Director Bryan Stokes. You'll hear more from him next month. In the meantime, read on to find some positive Federal news, another staffing update, and more. Enjoy the newsletter, and enjoy the last month or so of school--because summer is just around the corner!
All the best,
Theresa
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Federal Organizations Produce Early Learning Preparation Roadmap
On April 1, 2015, the
Institute of Medicine
(IOM) and the
National Research Council
(NRC) of the National Academy of Science published a report,
Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8: A Unifying Foundation,
which provides research-based recommendations on how to bolster early childhood teacher preparation to keep up with scientific discoveries. Many early learning experts, researchers, and professionals expect that the report's recommendations will become reality.
The report, released on April 1st, identified a gap between what scientists know about young children and what early childhood educators are taught. Even though science abounds on topics like the impact of toxic stress, the importance of a stimulating and responsive learning environment, and the need for educational continuity for children, especially from birth to age eight, this information does not always make it to early childhood educator curriculum or institutes. To bridge this gap, the Committee produced thirteen recommendations focusing on the strengthening of educational requirements to make curricula more robust at all universities, the creation of better policy at all levels, and continued support for  educators even as they move throughout their teaching careers. The Committee believes that these recommendations will help generate dialogue between scientists and educators, leading to a prepared and educated workforce and healthier children.
The Committee's next steps include presenting the report, gathering feedback, and working with the Administration of Children and Families (ACF) to turn these recommendations into practice. Marsha Basloe, Senior Advisor for Early Childhood Development and Education at ACF, said that this document will serve as a road map for the department for at least the next ten years. In Illinois, the State Board of Education, the Governor's Office, and the Board of Higher Education are promoting similar efforts through higher education grants. Stay tuned for more information on higher education grants in next month's newsletter, and pre-order your copy of this pivotal report today!
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Four New Innovation Zones Announced
The Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (OECD) is partnering with Illinois Action for Children to expand the Innovation Zones project to four new communities. OECD and Illinois Action for Children have announced four communities as new Innovation Zones: Elgin, Austin (Chicago), Altgeld-Riverdale (Chicago), and Englewood (Chicago). Each community, also a Preschool Expansion Grant partner, will pilot new initiatives for high quality early learning programs as one of OECD's many community partnerships.
Based on its experience with Innovation Zones, Illinois Action for Children believes that each community will need to develop a community system that includes a "pipeline" of health and social service providers who will refer clients in an expedited enrollment process, provide social services to enrolled families, and participate in a continuous pathway of services from birth to third grade. As outlined in the March newsletter, the current Innovation Zones have experimented with strategies to build community systems. Illinois Action for Children and OECD expect that the new Innovation Zones will benefit from that experience and move quickly to build systems that support their Preschool Development Grant programs.
In Altgeld-Riverdale, the Business and
Professional People for the Public Interest (BPI) will organize the initiative led by the Altgeld-Riverdale Early Learning Coalition of educators, social service providers, law enforcement, housing, and other organizations. Altgeld-Riverdale hopes to strengthen the early learning infrastructure of its area. Austin's program will be led  by Austin Coming Together (ACT) and its Austin Early Childhood Collaborative, created in 2013, who plans to build a high quality, accessible, and coordinated 
system of supports for young children. The Elgin Partnership for Early Learning (EPEL), made up of representatives from public, private, nonprofit, and parent organizations and led by the United Way of Elgin, will lead the work of Elgin's Innovation Zone. Elgin currently focuses on preschool readiness and data collection to develop a more comprehensive picture of school readiness, the impact of collaboration, and the landscape of birth to five programs.
Engelwood's Innovation Zone will be led
by Children's Home + Aid, who partners with over 52 organizations to oversee Coordinated Intake and Community Systems Development for MIECHV to create efficient points of entry into the early learning continuum for children with great needs.
OECD and Illinois Action for Children will hold a kick-off meeting for these communities in May. Location specific planning begins this summer and Innovation Zones will implement their new strategies by this fall.
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Screening Becomes Statewide, National Focus
The collaborative Developmental Screening Interest Group of Illinois met for the first time on March 25 in Joliet to discuss the creation of common policies to implement appropriate developmental screenings for Illinois children. CEOs of the Easter Seals of DuPage/Fox
Valley and Joliet attended the meeting, along with representatives from the Governor's Office, the Illinois State Board of Education, Innovation Zones, Early Intervention, Child & Family Connections,
and the Ounceof Prevention Fund. The Easter Seals, a nonprofit based in Chicago, provides advocacy and services for children and adults with autism and other disabilities and supports Statewide implementation of screenings
for all children.
In addition, a subcommittee of the Early Learning Council has developed language for Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) for Early Childhood Education centers and Lead Education Agencies regarding screening practices to ensure that all Illinois children are screened properly. The new language and guidance on screenings can be found on the OECD website.
CCDF State Plan Timeline Extended
The Federal Office of Child Care recently extended the original July 2015 deadline to March 2016 for Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) State Plans for FY 2016-2018. States will be expected to outline their implementation plans for the major changes in policy included in the
Child Care and Development Block Grant Reauthorization
passed last fall. The new law requires states to make significant changes in access to and continuity of child care assistance, child health and safety, and program quality. In developing its State plan, Illinois will have to make some important decisions about how it will implement the new law's requirements. A Planning Implementation and Compliance (PIC) Task Force has been convened with representatives from both the Child Care Advisory Council and Early Learning Council to advise the Department of Human Services on the development of the State's plan.
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Two Rivers Head Start Agency, Aurora
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Children play and learn at Two Rivers
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Founded in 1986, Two Rivers Head Start Agency's central office is in Aurora. Two Rivers provides Head Start, Early Head Start, and Community Services Block Grant services to more than 1,000 children in five Illinois counties: Boone, DeKalb, Grundy, Kane, and Kendall. The Agency provides programs for expectant mothers, infants and toddlers, and children aged three to five Two Rivers Director Diane Lacey notes that the Agency works to alleviate the effects of poverty through education and support for children and families. Under Diane's guidance, Two Rivers Head Start Agency has a staff of more than 200 professionals in 13 centers throughout the five aforementioned counties.
Diane and her staff consider their work to be fruitful when families and children leave the program prepared with the skills and knowledge they need to move to their next educational setting and to focus on success. This goal is achieved by focusing on building each child's self-esteem and setting the foundation for each child to be a lifelong learner. This self-esteem focus is exercised with parents, too, as a Policy Council of one parent per fifty children at each center convenes to provide recommendations to the Agency's Governing Body of fifteen professionals who volunteer their time. This structure empowers parents in difficult situations and teaches them to take an active role in their children's education and to set out to achieve realistic but ambitious goals in their own lives. Diane credits her highly educated and hard-working professional staff that tirelessly put in their best effort to change children's lives every day. Two Rivers' focus on the family and on empowerment through action is an inspiring example of what happens when a person is valued and respected.
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MIECHV Reauthorized Through 2017
OECD is excited to announce that your letters, emails, and phone calls worked! In March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 2, the Medicare Access and Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (commonly called the "Doc Fix" bill), to which the measure to reauthorize the Federal Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program was attached.
On April 13, the Senate passed the bill, which President Obama then signed into law. The new law extends the MIECHV program with full funding for two years-keeping the program funded through September 2017. OECD is thrilled that Home Visiting services are once again seen as a priority, and that the hard work of home visitors throughout the country can continue.
New State Superintendent Announced
At its April Board meeting, the Illinois State Board of Education voted unanimously to name Tony Smith as the new State Superintendent. Smith comes from Oakland, California, where he focused on transforming a high-poverty school district into the most improved school district in California during his tenure. Read more about Smith from the Illinois State Board of Education.
Kristoff Encourages Focus on Early Learning
 New York Times writer Nicholas Kristoff acknowledges the difficulties facing education reform and what seems to him like a bloody, ongoing war. His solution? Focus on early childhood education. Read what Kristoff has to say.
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As reported in this year's Race to the Top - Early Learning Challenge Grant Annual Performance Review, 1,118 programs - including licensed child care centers and school based programs- have achieved the Gold Circle of Quality, the highest Circle of Quality in ExceleRate Illinois. Find the ratings of programs in your area here.
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