Making young children a priority: The Illinois Story

Governor’s Summit on Early Learning Anchorage, Alaska December 5 th , 2007 Presented by: State Representative Elizabeth Coulson 17th Illinois House Legislative District

Closing the Gap Between What We Know and What We Do

“

The real question is how to use available funds wisely. The best evidence supports the policy prescription: Invest in the very young

.” Dr. James Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics

Presentation Overview

 The vision, history and growth of Illinois’ investments in young children  How advocates and legislators made it happen  A note on quality

Built on Core Beliefs

 Birth to five focus  Research-based, high-quality program models   At-risk first, but not at-risk only Comprehensive view of children’s development  Building a system for young children

Linked early childhood and emerging policy challenges The 1980s



School reform

–

1986

-

State Prekindergarten

 Statewide program for 3- to 5-year-olds at risk of academic failure –

1989

-

Parental Training; Prevention Initiative

 Statewide programs for families with children birth-to-three:

Linked early childhood and emerging policy challenges The 1990s



Welfare reform

– Affordable child care seen by policymakers as essential to success of the reform efforts 

Research on early brain development and impact of high quality programs

– – Early learning experiences make a lasting difference High quality programs improve child outcomes in school and life

Linked early childhood and emerging policy challenges 1997: Early Childhood Education Block Grant created

–

Combined the Prevention Initiative, Parental Training, and Prekindergarten programs into one funding stream:

 Sound public policy: streamline state-administered, single-grant early childhood education programs  Informed by research: new brain research emphasizing importance of earliest years for future success in school and life  Commitment: serving infants and toddlers as well as 3-5-year-olds

Preschool for All



Built on the existing state PreK program, with expanded access and important investments in quality and accountability



Voluntary, high-quality preschool for all 3- and 4-year-olds whose parents choose to participate



Priority services for at-risk children with gradual expansion to others



Continues funding set-aside for at-risk infants and toddlers through both home visitation and child development programs in infant/toddler child care settings



High standards and quality curricula and teaching staff in a variety of settings that parents choose (schools and community-based providers)

Simultaneous investments and improvements in other areas essential to healthy child development:

Health:

Increased access to insurance and medical home

Child Care:

Increased reimbursement rates for providers; created Quality Rating System

Social/Emotional Development:

programs and Early Intervention Increased funding for prevention/early intervention; integrated mental health consultants into a range of programs such as child care, preschool, infant/toddler

Early learning system:

develop a high-quality system of early learning for children birth to five Created the Early Learning Council to

Early Intervention:

abuse prevention Improved identification of young children with developmental delays across a range of departments such as child welfare, maternal and child health, early care and education and child

Making it happen: Advocates

   Broad coalition of advocates – Generate buy-in in the planning process – Many voices, one message Cultivate leaders at all levels – Grassroots, community leaders, legislators The marathon approach: systems building takes time – Requires attention to the whole rather than just its parts

Making it happen: Legislators

 Use the research to make a compelling case  Build bipartisan support  Generate support from legislative caucuses

What the research tells us

 Increasing body of evidence to support investment in early education  Three major and often cited studies: High/Scope Perry, Chicago CPC, Abecedarian  Peer reviewed research studies of targeted prek intervention with at-risk preschoolers

What the research tells us

 Main findings – Increased standardized reading and math test scores and lower grade-retention in 3 rd and 5 th grades – – – – Fewer behavioral problems and more self control at 3 rd and 5 th grades Lower rate of teen pregnancy Less crime and violence in schools Lower rates of tobacco and other drug use

Expanded access and improved quality go hand in hand

 Research supports investing in quality; commit resources to quality as much as you would to access  Easier to build in quality from the beginning rather than adding in later  Build on, coordinate and improve existing programs and systems

Early Childhood Education Funding in Illinois

   Current FY08 early childhood appropriation:

$347.8 million,

with

$38.2 million

of the total monies funding services to infants and toddlers Funded nearly 1,200 early childhood education programs statewide in FY07 Investments in the Early Childhood Block Grant have grown by $164.6 million in last 5 fiscal years, but many children still lack access

How Does the Early Childhood Block Grant Work?

 Annually, the Illinois State Board of Education releases separate Requests for Proposals (RFP) for programs serving children aged 0-3 and 3-5  Bidder’s conferences and peer review of applications are conducted  Grant awards are announced after passage of the new state budget

Illinois’ Early Childhood Education System: Infant Toddler Set-Aside

 Enabling legislation required a minimum of

8%

of total funds to support programs for infants and toddlers  In FY04, the Illinois General Assembly INCREASED requirement to a minimum of

11%

 Over 250 programs -Schools -Child care centers -Family support programs -Community-based agencies -Early Head Start programs -Licensed family child care -Local health departments organizations

Find out more

Illinois State Board of Education

www.isbe.state.il.us/earlychi Illinois Action for Children www.actforchildren.org

The Ounce of Prevention Fund www.ounceofprevention.org