Smart Start Illinois is a multi-year plan to provide every child with access to preschool, increase funding to child care providers to raise wages and quality and reach more vulnerable families with early support. Smart Start Illinois is a step towards making Illinois the best place to raise children with a clear ongoing commitment to children, families, teachers, and childcare providers. The State Fiscal Year 2024 (SFY24) Smart Start Illinois investments to the Illinois Department of Human Services, Division of Early Childhood (IDHS-DEC) includes
$5 million to expand the Illinois Department of Human Services' Home Visiting Program so more families who want it can receive this early support;
$130 million for nation-leading Child Care Workforce Compensation Contracts that will stabilize providers and give child care workers a raise;
$40 million for Early Intervention programs to enhance services for families and give providers a raise.
Governor Pritzker’s proposal commits to continued investments in Illinois’ Home Visiting, Child Care, and Early Intervention programs, allowing IDHS-DEC to use these funds towards long-term system changes.
The Smart Start Transition Grants focus on providing stable and predictable funding in order to improve quality and support workforce development.
Smart Start Quality Support Program (coming soon)
The Smart Start Quality Support (SSQS) program, formerly the ExceleRate Pilot, helps the participating centers cover the staffing costs associated with higher quality, and guide staff in their quality improvement work.
The Illinois Early Childhood Apprenticeship Pilot seeksto bridge and connect scholarship programs leading to credentials and degrees with on-the-job/real-world training and mentorship tailored to the context of the specific communities where apprentices work. The program will incorporate child care program contracts, specifically to provide funding for participating centers for increased compensation based on staff qualifications.
ExceleRate Illinois helps you prepare children for success in school and in life.
It also provides standards, guidelines, resources and supports to help you make sensible changes that lead to better quality outcomes for children.