Mission

Build a system of quality early care and education for children birth through third grade in Illinois.

Our Approach

Improving public policy (eg. adequate funding, quality standards) and building a widespread quality infrastructure (eg. quality workforce) are effective mechanisms to reach children at risk of academic failure, our target population.

In support of this theory, our priority areas of funding are:

• Improving public policy through increased public investments and policies that support access to quality early care and education for all children age birth through eight.
• Creating a heightened public awareness of the impact of quality early care and education.
• Building a quality infrastructure in Illinois that improves the quality of professionals and programs, and ensures continuous improvement.