Gateways History

Gateways to Opportunity is a statewide system of professional development administered by the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) for the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Bureau of Child Care and Development. The McCormick Foundation, and other public/private partnerships were instrumental in creating and in supporting the Gateways system.

The development of Gateways to Opportunity is being coordinated by the Professional Development Advisory Council (PDAC), across early care and education, school-age, and youth development sectors. PDAC membership includes two- and four-year institutions of higher education, state agencies, state government, practitioners, consultants, and cross-sector representatives of the field. PDAC is a “collaboration of professional organizations whose strategy is to improve the quality and stability of the early care and education, school-age, youth development, and family support workforce through increased professional development and improved opportunities for career advancement” (PDAC 2009 Strategic Plan).

The creation of a state recognized Career Lattice for the field of early care and education (ECE) and the creation of the Illinois Director Credential were the foundational components of Gateways to Opportunity. The ECE and Infant Toddler Credentials were developed to better prepare ECE practitioners for serving young children. The Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IPTS), the Type 04 Early Childhood Education Teaching Certificate, the Early Intervention Credential, the revised Early Childhood Teaching Standards, the Paraprofessional Credential, the Associates of Arts in Teaching Degree, the Child Care Apprenticeship, and the Natural Allies Project were incorporated in the creation of these credentials.

An initial two-year grant in December 2002 from the US Department of Labor to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) supported the beginning efforts of PDAC. The Illinois Workforce Investment Board approved the funding for this project. Gateways to Opportunity builds upon the professional development recommendations included in the report on universal preschool and the results from the April 2002 Statewide Forum on Professional Preparation and Development of the Early Childhood Workforce. Gateways to Opportunity, the Illinois Professional Development System, is funded primarily by IDHS with private foundation partnership support.

Great START was introduced into legislation in June 2000 and permanently signed into law in 2004. Great START is a Wage Supplement Program that was created to help address the staffing crisis in the child care field.

Gateways to Opportunity expanded its vision to include school-age and youth development practitioners in the statewide system of professional development in 2007. Credentials for Illinois school-age and youth development practitioners are currently in development. The Level 1 School-Age and Youth Development (SAYD) Credential pilot will begin in 2011.

Gateways credentials were signed into law on January 21, 2010, retroactive to July 2009. Gateways credentials define the skills and knowledge required to work in the field and provide recognition to practitioners who meet credential requirements.