Education
One Month In, a New State Department Makes Streamlining Access to Early Childhood Program’s Its Goal
Childcare assistance. Early intervention. Preschool for all.
Until recently, these state programs were split across three state agencies and the governor’s office. But since July 1, they’ve all been brought under the umbrella of the new Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC).
“When you have programs in three agencies all serving families with young children, you have to navigate that complexity,” said Teresa Ramos, the first ever secretary of IDEC.
“That complexity is borne by providers and families,” Ramos said.
Ramos highlighted the importance of the first five years of a child’s life, saying that investments in well-being then pays dividends later in life, setting kids up for success in K-12 education and beyond.
The department has a budget of $4.4 billion, most of which was previously spread out across different agencies. But having a single agency in charge of managing early childhood programs eases the administrative burden of tracking those funds to make sure they’re used effectively and equitably.
The process of getting IDEC off the ground happened in stages.
A 2024 law created the department, which was the result of years of groundwork to improve early childhood resources in the state. Then transition planning took place over the next two years, with IDEC officially opening early this month.
Amid the behind-the-scenes work of transferring hundreds of staff members, data and tech infrastructure, Ramos said a marker of a smooth transition will be if it seems like nothing changed for parents and care providers.
The impetus for making a one-stop-shop for early childhood programs is that, over time, accessing resources gets easier.
Right now, Ramos said there are 12 different streams of funding coming into the state that childcare providers can apply for, each with their own nuances. And for managing state grants, the Department of Human Services and Board of Education each had their own platform.
“We still have work to do with our partners in the General Assembly to say ‘hey, how can we simplify and ease this burden over time?’” Ramos said.
Building a new department is one challenge. Doing it while also responding to uncertainty with federal funding and regulatory rollbacks is another.
“We get questions about what the implications are for federal changes all the time,” Ramos said.
While the department can’t fill in every gap left behind, Ramos said IDEC is working directly with care providers to understand what different changes mean for them and how the state can help.
“It makes the new department more important than ever before,” Ramos said.
“Our north star is we want to be on a path to make Illinois the best state in the country to raise a family with young children,” Ramos said.
