Early Childhood Advocacy Week: I advocate for the Early Childhood Block because the first five years of life are critical in a person's developmental lifespan.

Dear Supporter,

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how essential early learning programs can be in supporting the healthy development of young children. This is certainly true of early childhood programs funded by the Illinois State Board of Education’s Early Childhood Block Grant, state dollars that sustain services for children birth-to-age 5 through the Prevention Initiative and Preschool For All programs.

As part of the Ounce’s Virtual Early Childhood Advocacy Week, please urge lawmakers to prioritize the Early Childhood Block Grant in this year’s budget in order to provide:

Greater flexibility for programs on the usage of funds for Personal Protective Equipment, cleaning supplies, professional learning and technology
Expansion of professional learning opportunities and technical support for infant, toddler and preschool teachers, directors and family support staff, with a focus on engaging and supporting families, developmentally appropriate remote learning and trauma-informed practices
Compensation increases for staff within community-based organizations, who often earn much less than their school-based setting peers

Contact your lawmaker now

As the Illinois General Assembly returns to Springfield to develop and pass a Fiscal Year 2021 budget, early childhood funding must be one of the state’s top priorities. For information about the Ounce’s Advocacy Week, click here.

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