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A invoice creating a brand new state Division of Early Childhood cleared a key Illinois Home committee Friday morning by a 14-0 vote – advancing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s objective of streamlining early childhood and baby care applications.
The invoice now heads to the Home flooring.
If Home Invoice 5451 clears the final meeting this session, the state’s Division of Early Childhood would begin operations on July 1 and would oversee applications corresponding to early intervention for younger kids with disabilities, house visiting, and baby care help applications to assist low-income households entry baby care.
Whereas the division is in a transition part, the Illinois State Board of Schooling, state Division of Human Providers, and the Division of Youngsters and Households Providers would proceed to run baby care applications and early childhood education schemes.
The Division of Early Childhood could be the lead state company to manage and supply early childhood schooling and baby care applications and companies to kids and households by July 1, 2026.
In opening remarks to the Home’s Little one Care Accessibility & Early Childhood Schooling Committee on Friday, State Rep. Mary Beth Canty, a Democrat representing Arlington Heights, stated putting childhood companies beneath one division could be simpler on households with younger kids and baby care suppliers.
“This invoice will make early childhood easier, higher, and fairer,” stated Canty. “It can make it simpler for households to entry companies, it’s going to enable the state to extra equitably serve high-need households, and also will cut back the executive burden on suppliers.”
HB 5451 doesn’t change any baby care applications throughout the transition, in accordance with Canty. Any modifications to baby care or early childhood education schemes must come earlier than the final meeting both subsequent yr or throughout 2026.
State Sen. Kimberly Lightford, Senate Majority chief and a Democrat representing Chicago’s west aspect and close by suburbs, proposed a Senate model of HB 5451, generally known as Senate Invoice 1, which is already on the Senate’s flooring.
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Throughout Friday’s committee assembly, different Home representatives raised considerations concerning the prices of working the Division of Early Childhood and whether or not state staff who work beneath the three state departments that at the moment function early childhood education schemes will be capable to keep their jobs.
Ann Whalen, Early Childhood Transition director, testified throughout the listening to that the unique price evaluation estimated $13 million to launch the division, however the future price range could be decided later.
When requested if present state staff would be capable to retain their jobs throughout the creation of the brand new division, Whalen stated personnel could also be pulled from one division to the opposite. “Nobody will lose their jobs. Interval,” she stated on the committee listening to.
Earlier within the listening to, Canty famous that AFSCME Native 31 and the Illinois Federation of Lecturers characterize early childhood schooling and baby care employees throughout the state. Each unions at the moment have ongoing negotiations with the state concerning the improvement of the brand new division.
Canty stated present employees are protected beneath state regulation and could be “unaffected” by her proposal.
Pritzker additionally plans to spice up funding for early childhood schooling within the state’s 2025 price range throughout the second yr of his Good Begin Illinois Initiative — which has the objective of making 20,000 new preschool seats for 3- and 4-year olds. Final yr, he added $250 million to the plan. Based on the governor’s workplace and the state board, the plan has already created an further 5,800 preschool seats.
In February, Pritzker proposed a $150 million enhance for early childhood schooling. The rise consists of $75 million for the Illinois State Board of Schooling’s early childhood schooling block grant so as to add 5,000 extra public college seats for preschool college students. Pritzker additionally beneficial an extra $5 million for house visiting applications and $36.5 million for the kid care help applications for the state Division of Human Providers.
The state legislature is predicted to approve a closing price range for fiscal yr 2025 on the finish of session in late Might.
Samantha Smylie is the state schooling reporter for Chalkbeat Chicago protecting college districts throughout the state, laws, particular schooling and the state board of schooling. Contact Samantha at ssmylie@chalkbeat.org.
