ECE Credentials
ECE Educators Birth to age 8
Gateways to Opportunity® Credentials are awarded and recognized by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Early Childhood. Some Circles of Quality in ExceleRate® Illinois require Gateways Credentials and employers can use Credentials to help them in their hiring decisions. Gateways Credentials are for individuals who live and/or work in Illinois.
Gateways Credentials are symbols of professional achievement that show your knowledge, skills, and experience in caring and educating for children. They are an individual achievement that you can be proud of. There are specific Credential types based on your education, training, and experience:
To start a Gateways Credential application online, there are 3 steps:
A paper application is also available, click pdf here (546 KB) .
ECE Educators Birth to age 8
Infant Toddler Educators Birth to age 3
Family Child Care/Home Day Care Providers
Center Directors or Assistant Directors
Professional Development Coaches/Mentors
ECE Educators serving multilingual/multicultural children & families (coming soon)
Educators serving Kindergarten through age 17
Social Workers/Home Visitors/Parent Educators
It also provides standards, guidelines, resources and supports to help you make sensible changes that lead to better quality outcomes for children.