Illinois Department of Early Childhood Officially Launches July 1 as New State Agency

Illinois Department of Early Childhood Officially Launches July 1 as New State Agency

IDEC awards record-breaking funding to 4,000 Smart Start Workforce Grant recipients and increases rates for some Early Intervention providers

SPRINGFIELD, IL - Today, the Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) officially begins operations as Illinois' first agency focused entirely on early childhood programs and services. The agency joins together programs previously administered by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS), Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), and the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD).

"As a long-time supporter of early childhood education, today marks a major step forward for Illinois' youngest learners and the professionals who support them," said Governor JB Pritzker.

"By bringing early childhood programs and services under one roof, the state is building a stronger, more cohesive system that ensures every child has the opportunity to thrive from the very beginning."

IDEC was created through legislation signed by Governor JB Pritzker in June 2024. It is part of a broader effort to streamline services, improve coordination, and strengthen early learning systems statewide. These programs now operate within a single department dedicated to supporting families with children, especially those families prenatal through age five, the providers and workforces that serve them.

"As of today, Illinois has a single agency focused entirely on early childhood," said Illinois Department of Early Childhood Secretary Teresa Ramos. "This launch reflects years of work to build a more connected and effective system for children, families, providers, and communities across the state."

IDEC begins operations with 385 employees, including 340 from transferring agencies, and assumes the responsibility for administering over $4.3 billion in grants and direct services dedicated to supporting children and families across the state. Key priorities for the department include improving access to early childhood programs, reducing administrative complexity and burden, advancing equity, and strengthening partnerships with providers and communities.

The transition is intentionally designed so there are no abrupt changes for parents and how they currently access services will remain the same.

Programs now under IDEC'S purview include:

• Child Care (CCAP)
• Head Start State Collaboration Office
• Migrant Seasonal Head Start
• Early Intervention
• Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV)
• Maternal Child Home Visiting
• Early Childhood Block Grant (Preschool for All (PFA), Preschool for All Expansion (PFA-E), Prevention Initiative (PI)
• Child Care Licensing
• Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH)

Looking ahead, IDEC will be implementing several large-scale initiatives, including the transition to a modernized background check process and major program enhancements that strengthen early childhood services, programs, and the workforce.

Smart Start Workforce Grants

Additionally, the department announced today a historic investment in the early childhood workforce. In partnership with the Illinois Network of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) and IDHS, IDEC is awarding approximately $49.8 million in Smart Start Workforce Grants to 3,984 eligible programs across Illinois. The investment represents the largest single-round of funding awarded to child care providers since the program's inception in 2025.

"Today is an important milestone, but the work continues. Our focus now is on delivering services, supporting providers, and ensuring families can access what they want and need," said Secretary Ramos.

The Smart Start Workforce Grants are designed to support providers to improve compensation for early childhood educators and staff, without charging families more. This is an essential strategy to retain skilled early childhood professionals, support program stability, and improve outcomes for young children receiving care.

"The high number of participants shows how deeply early childhood providers are committed to their staff and the families they serve," said Christi Chadwick, Workforce Director for the Illinois Department of Early Childhood. "Since its inception in FY25, Illinois has awarded $328.28 million as part of the Smart Start Workforce Grant. We are thrilled to continue to strengthen the workforce that supports our youngest learners and their brain development every day."

Since its inception, over 24,000 early childhood educators and professionals have benefited from Smart Start Workforce Grants. In FY27, INCCRRA, IDEC's grant administration partner, will award the remaining $200 million in Smart Start Workforce Grants.

Early Intervention Provider Rate Increase

The FY27 state budget includes a $15 million increase for the Early Intervention (EI) program. As a result, IDEC will use about $ 3.5 million to update provider rates. The FY 2027 update targets EI provider types whose rates are still at or below 50% of the modeled cost of services after the FY 2026 rate increase. The other $11.5 million will be used to maintain current service levels ($5.5 million) and begin improving operating systems ($6 million) to drive greater equity and efficiency.

Updated rates take effect for dates of service on or after October 1, 2026.

For more information about IDEC programs and grant requirements, visit idec.illinois.gov.