Alignment. Quality. Access.
GOECD 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.
|
June 1 |
Executive Committee Meeting
June 10 |
Family Engagement Implementation Subcommittee Meeting
June 16 |
Home Visiting Task Force Executive Committee Meeting
June 18 |
ExceleRate Subcommittee Meeting
June 22 |
Full Early Learning Council Meeting
July 8 |
Family Engagement Implementation Subcommittee Meeting
July 14 |
All Families Served Subcommittee Meeting
July 20 |
Home Visiting Task Force Executive Committee Meeting
July 29 |
Home Visiting Task Force Meeting
|
|
 |
|
Greetings,
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, also referred to as "Mental Health Month", which has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. The importance of the month is to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and stop the associated stigma.
Mental health is an important part of our lives, especially during this unexpected break from family members, friends, faith communities, our social lives, and our many celebrations, among other activities. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has deeply affected every aspect of our lives and the individuals living within our communities.
The stay-at-home and social distancing strategies and other precautions taken during this time to reduce the spread of COVID-19 can be stressful.
Regular healthy practices will support our efforts to be healthy. Mental health is just as important as our physical health and it is critical that we take care of ourselves. Create a self-care plan, get creative, practice mindfulness, yoga, journaling, or talk to someone. Most of all be gentle with yourself.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests the following:
BE KIND TO YOUR MIND
PAUSE. Breathe. Notice how you feel.
TAKE BREAKS from COVID-19 content.
MAKE TIME to sleep and exercise.
REACH OUT and stay connected.
SEEK HELP if overwhelmed or unsafe.
If you or someone you know is struggling with stress related to the COVID-19 pandemic and need emotional support, text TALK to 552020 for English or HABLAR for Spanish. This service is free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. People seeking assistance will remain anonymous and will provide only their first name and zip code, which enables the service to link you to a counselor in your area who is knowledgeable about available local resources. Additional resources are available through the
Illinois Department of Human Services.
In our desire to strengthen our solidarity to address the health crisis together let us not forget the importance of self-care. Self-care is not selfish. It's more important than ever to be self-aware and take time for yourself. Please stay safe and healthy and remember,
Dr. Jamilah R. Jor'dan
Acting Executive Director
Illinois Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development
|
Anita J. Rumage joins the GOECD as ExceleRate Pilot Project Coordinator. Anita started her career in 1993 with Circles of Learning. Circles of Learning's mission is to provide high quality, affordable child care services and a comprehensive family support network so that low income families can achieve and maintain social and economic independence. From 2006-2011, Anita served as Executive Director of VOICES DV, an agency committed to the elimination of domestic violence and service to survivors and their families. After serving as Operations Leader with FHN Family Counseling Center, she returned to Circles of Learning in 2013 and served as Executive Director until February 2020.
Anita earned a Bachelor's Degree in Human Relations, a Master of Education in Early Childhood, and a Doctorate Degree in Public Administration. Anita is a graduate of Highland Community College's Leadership Institute and earned Rockford University's Nonprofit Leadership Certification. She holds a SHRM-SCP and a Six Sigma Green Belt.
|
You Have More Time: CDA Renewal Amnesty Program
Due to recent events, the Council for Professional Recognition is extending the deadline for the CDA Renewal Amnesty Program to June 30, 2020. The program allows anyone with a CDA credential
expiration date as far back as January 1, 2010, an opportunity to complete the renewal process and make their credential active again.
ELIGIBILITY
- Expiration date as far back as January 1, 2010.
- Must meet all current renewal requirements.
- Apply online using YourCouncil.
The program is available
through June 30, 2020. All applications and payments ($125) must be submitted online by June 30, 2020. No exceptions or extensions will be granted. For additional information, visit:
cdacouncil.org.
|
The 2020 Census is underway and the most important thing you can do NOW is respond online, by phone, or by mail. More than half of the households across America have responded and more are responding every day.
The self-response phase has been extended to October 31, 2020.
In order to prevent an undercount in Illinois please participate in the Census. An accurate count of Illinois' population is essential to ensure the State receives the funding that is needed to properly care for its residents and provide critical services and programs. The failure to count every Illinois resident would have devastating effects on the State's ability to meet the needs of Illinois residents. Even a one-percent undercount would result in the state of Illinois losing $19,557,435 per year for a decade, resulting in a total loss of $195,574,350.
Overlooking and undercounting young children also has serious consequences. The population most likely to be missed in the Census is the same group of children most likely to live in poverty, experience homelessness, and live in stress. With roughly 300 federal programs using Census data to allocate more than $675 billion each year, inaccurate Census data could result in a decade or more of inadequate funding for key programs serving babies and their families across the nation.
The 2020 Census helps decide how much money Illinois communities will receive for schools, child care and early learning, health insurance and medical care, early intervention and home visiting programs, food assistance, foster care, housing assistance, and public transportation.
Help the state of Illinois receive the resources that are needed for the next 10 years. Remember, when it comes to the Census, everyone counts!
|
Illinois' PDG B-5 Renewal grant includes a project to improve state level data collection on the early childhood home visiting workforce. Currently, a number of different types of early childhood professionals are classified in Gateways as home visitors. This project will make changes to the Gateways Registry data system to more clearly define the position of home visitor and to ensure appropriate classification for current and future Gateways users. The expected outcome is an aligned and accurate home visitor workforce registry, including basic demographics, educational backgrounds, credential attainment, and position tenure and turnover.
We are seeking a small group of home visitors, family support staff, home-based child care providers, and Early Intervention professionals in Illinois to provide input on the planned changes and to help test the system before these changes are rolled out. We anticipate that this will involve 1-2 virtual meetings (no more than one hour each) between June and September 2020.
If you are interested in being part of this unpaid short-term advisory committee, please contact Joanna Su at GOECD by Friday, June 5th, 2020, with your name, title or position, city, contact information, and program model (if applicable).
|
May is
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, celebrating the rich diversity, culture, history, and experiences of over 23.8 million Americans. Illinois is
home
to the Midwest's largest Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) population with close to
700,000 residents. Here are recommendations for resources and entertainment focused on the AAPI community:
- Community: Asian American Pacific Islanders in Early Childhood (AAPIS in EC) is a safe space for community, resources, and gatherings (currently virtual) for Illinois folks who identify as AAPI. If interested, contact Deborah.Hwang@illinois.gov.
- Webinar: API Cross-Class Solidarity in the Era of COVID-19 by the Resource Generation provides a safe space for young AAPI folks with access to class privilege to address conditions of the current pandemic and explore ways to move in solidarity with impacted communities. Recording can be accessed here.
- TV: Asian Americans is a five-part television series by PBS featuring intimate personal stories on U.S. history and the ongoing role that Asian Americans have played.
- Book: The Lowland, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri, is a multigenerational story set in India and America.
- Music: Phum Viphurit is a Thai singer-songwriter whose music includes dreamy indie pop guitar sounds.
- Film: The Half of It is a queer, coming-of-age story about Ellie Chu, who agrees to write a love letter for a jock when she unexpectedly becomes his friend and also falls for his crush.
|
While many child care homes and centers have been open and providing emergency care to the children of essential workers during the COVID-19 public health crisis under an emergency license obtained through DCFS, the majority of licensed child care programs have been closed during Phases 1 and 2 of the
Restore Illinois Plan. Starting in Phase 3 and continuing through Phase 4, child care providers are encouraged to reopen subject to guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health to serve the many families who will be returning to work.
The
Restore Illinois Child Care Guidelines provides an overview of the requirements and recommended practices for child care programs in Phases 3 and 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan. Additional details and guidance materials will be forthcoming to support programs as they plan to reopen or transition back from emergency care to their regular license.
|
Stopping the Spread of Anti-AAPI Hate During COVID-19
During the COVID-19 global pandemic, there is another crisis that is rapidly spreading: the surge of anti-Asian racism and xenophobia. The spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. has come mainly from New York City and those cases from Europe, yet the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is
increasingly targeted with hate crimes ranging from verbal and physical assaults to acts of violence.
The World Health Organization's declaration of a pandemic is a call to action to protect our public health. COVID-19 is an aggressive virus that does not discriminate against race, ethnicity, color, class, gender, sexuality, ability, or citizenship status. Anyone can fall ill or carry the virus. It will require every person to rise to the occasion in order to flatten the curve to prevent catastrophic outcomes.
|
Emotional Well-Being Toolkit for Families: A COVID-19 Resource
In collaboration with the Illinois Pyramid Model State Leadership Team, GOECD created a toolkit for families with young children. We know that this is a stressful time for parents and caregivers, full of lots of uncertainty and many demands. Our engaging and user-friendly toolkit features fully vetted resources to support the well-being of young children and families during COVID-19. The toolkit also contains fun activities to do with young children at home and ways to talk to children about the pandemic. Stay tuned for two additional GOECD wellness toolkits for early childhood care and education Providers and Leaders.
Click here to access the Emotional Well-Being Toolkit.
Click here for a quick video tutorial on how to navigate the toolkit.
|
New Release: Survey of Illinois Home Visiting - Impact of COVID-19
GOECD sponsored an online survey of Illinois Home Visitors and Home Visiting Supervisors to gather information on recent changes and adaptations to their work during the COVID-19 health emergency.
The survey was conducted between April 13 and 17, 2020, by the University of Illinois Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD). A total of 322 individuals responded, representing eight funding streams and seven+ models. The key findings included:
- More than half of home visitors (59%) have stayed engaged with 75% to 100% of their families.
- Home visitors are currently delivering virtual home visiting services to families via phone calls (94%) and video visits (82%).
- The biggest challenge with conducting phone visits is that families have limited phone or data plans.
- The biggest challenge with conducting video visits is that families have technology limitations such as lack of computer and unstable internet connection.
- The following resources have been difficult to provide to parents: diapers and wipes; basic household items including disinfecting products; and food/formula.
- A third of home visitors indicated that it is challenging to work remotely.
- The number one resource that home visitors said would be helpful for remote work is a printer (66%). Additionally, 35% said a headset with microphone would be helpful, 27% need an internet hot spot, and one fourth indicated that an "adjusted/flexible schedule outside their previously held office hours" would be beneficial.
The information in this report can assist funders and partners with understanding what's working, what's challenging, and the types of supports needed as home visiting agencies continue to serve families in Illinois communities and provide them with supports in new and different ways. Click here for the full report.
|
Significant steps have been taken by Congress to assist small businesses of all kinds during the pandemic, including the creation of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The National Association for the Education of Young Children's (NAEYC) survey report, released May 12,2020, found that, of 5,000 respondents, 53% of child care centers and 25% of family child care homes had applied for the PPP loans. Additional programs applied since the survey; others chose not to apply because of expressed concerns around the risk of taking on debt in the context of an uncertain future.
In a follow up survey conducted by NAEYC to learn more about providers experience with the Paycheck Protection Program, key findings include:
- At the time of their response, 12% of those who had applied had been denied and another 33% had not heard back yet.
- Of those who were denied, 55% were family child care homes.
- The most common explanations programs were provided for their denials, in addition to being told there was a lack of funding, included problems with their credit scores and their lack of a business checking account (even if they had a personal account), neither of which are required by the SBA to qualify for the loans.
- For family child care homes, approval rates were lower regardless of previous client status; if they were clients, they confronted a 27% approval rate, while those who were not previous clients saw a 23% approval rate.
- The amount of the loans varied significantly. 38% of respondents reported that their loan amounted was less than $50,000.
- All of the family child care homes reported a loan amount of $50,000 or less.
While the PPP bought some programs critical time with which to pay themselves and their employees and cover some of their fixed costs, entire segments of the market, particularly family child care homes, were essentially unable to access the program and its benefits.
Read the brief here.
|
Serving Families Together Initiative
With generous funding from the Grand Victoria Foundation, the Ounce of Prevention Fund, the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development, the Illinois Department of Human Services Early Intervention Bureau, Erikson Institute, and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services partnered to develop the Serving Families Together Initiative. The overall goal of this two-year initiative, which began in 2017, was to increase access to Early Intervention (EI) and home visiting services for children and families involved in the child welfare system through building cross-systems knowledge and relationships. Through the initiative, a series of community-based cross-trainings were convened throughout the state targeting home visitors, EI providers, and child welfare workers.
Click here for more information on the Serving Families Together Initiative and to access to the cross-training resources and the Home Visiting, Child Welfare, and Early Intervention webinars.
|
Equity From the Start: Shifting from Intentions to Outcome: June 8th - 12th, 2020
Join Illinois Action for Children's Community Systems Statewide Supports team, in partnership with the Governor's Office of Early Childhood, Illinois State Board of Education, and Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies for this five-day virtual summit.
Each year, the Partner Plan Act conference brings together early childhood community collaboration leaders, state agency representatives, families, and providers to deepen connections and grow the state's capacity and knowledge of community systems development. While we may not be able to convene in-person this year, we have twelve 90-minute sessions to help your community continue to advance the work.
The theme of this year's conference is Equity from the Start: Shifting from Intentions to Outcomes.
We want to continue the conversation around racial equity and ensure that it is explicitly embedded in all the work we do. To help us with that discussion, author
Ijeoma Oluo
joins us as the conference keynote on June 11th, best known for her New York Times best-seller, So You Want to Talk About Race. We will also have
Chicago United for Equity
moderate the closing plenary panel on June 12th.
|
New Release: PDG-E Evaluation Report
It is with great pride that the Pyramid Model State Leadership Team presents the Preschool Development Grant-Expansion (PDG-E) evaluation report. The PDG-E evaluation report provides information about the 26 preschool programs that have been implementing the Pyramid Model since 2018 over the past 18 months. The report documents many successes, such as the value of having a leadership team, working with a external/process coach during program-wide implementation, a reduction of challenging behaviors, and fewer suspensions. The report also identifies the next steps for Illinois' high fidelity programming of the Pyramid Model framework.
|
|
|
