Election Day is Almost Here!
Election Day is tomorrow – scroll down to be sure you know how and where to cast your ballot!

New Resources from Start Early

Reflecting on Fiscal Year 2022

We are excited to offer two new resources relating to policy changes that were achieved in Fiscal Year 22.

2022 Illinois Legislative Summary. Each year the Illinois General Assembly passes legislation that can have an impact on families. The 2022 Legislative Summary provides a listing of those bills that became law in the spring 2022 session that we thought would be relevant to families with young children and the field. We hope that this is a resource you will download and share with colleagues and families alike.

2022 Illinois Accomplishments. The 2022 Illinois Policy Accomplishments report details progress we helped the state achieve toward advancing our Illinois Policy Agenda. In some places, Start Early may have led a charge, in other places we contributed research and advocacy to help advance the shared goals of many stakeholders. This year’s report details the many ways that tangible progress is being made to improve the experience of families and children and providers.

Two children playing outside with early care & learning professional

Election 2022: Early Childhood Survey Results in Illinois

Voters Want To See More Investment In Early Childhood Services

Ahead of Illinois’ midterm and gubernatorial elections next month, in a recent survey, voters across the state made it clear that they want to see increased attention towards early childhood services. In fact, the vast majority of survey respondents believe that investing in early childhood education and care is a good use of taxpayer dollars – and most would even be willing to pay more in taxes to fund it. Read more on the survey findings conducted on behalf of Illinois advocates to measure the level of support for early education among voters.

Your Voice is Needed

Early Intervention Provider Petition & Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention Meeting

Like other parts of our early childhood system, Early Intervention is experiencing staffing shortages and increased service delays as waiting lists have doubled since last year. An online petition that calls attention to these issues was submitted by EI providers to the Bureau of Early Intervention and Division of Early Childhood at IDHS. About 2,800 providers and families have signed the petition, we encourage you to sign and leave a comment on the petition if you have concerns or personal stories you’d like to share.

The Department is working with the petition organizers to address these issues and will need broad stakeholder input. You can also learn more by attending the Illinois Interagency Council on Early Intervention (IICEI ) meetings, which are held quarterly and are open to the public. The IICEI advises and assists the Lead Agency, Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Early Intervention, in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive early intervention program for infants and toddlers aged birth to three with developmental disabilities and delays and their families. The next meeting of the IICEI will take place in January 2023, more info to come!

Kick Off Conversations in Your Community

New Resource! A Toolkit for Community Conversations

As part of Raising Illinois’ Prenatal to Three Policy Agenda, Start Early took the lead on developing the Infant & Toddler Child Care Roadmap, an exploration of ways Illinois can better meet the needs of families through the lens of the state’s child care community. This September Raising Illinois hosted an event, Child Care: Correcting Perception by Acknowledging Impact, to kick off discussions on how communities can uplift the recommendations outlined in the Roadmap through solution-forward conversations. To keep the momentum of that event going, Raising Illinois has developed a Community Conversation Toolkit to facilitate courageous conversations that increase community connectivity, cohesion and inclusion.

Voting Resources for Advocates

Are You Ready to Vote?

Nov. 8 marks the 2022 mid-term elections. This election is critical as several federal, state, and local officials are on the ballot.

You can participate by:

Checking your registration status
Registering to vote. If you missed the regular voter registration deadline, you can register and vote in-person at early voting locations or at your polling place through Nov. 8.
Voting by mail. If you're voting by mail, remember that your ballot must be postmarked by November 8 to be valid.
Voting in-person, either early or on election day.
Encouraging others to vote!

The Chicago Mayoral election will occur in February, so it’s still critical to participate now to ensure your registration is up-to-date for the elections in early 2023. Visit the Illinois Board of Elections for more information.

Not an Illinois resident? Find your state’s election authority. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to our children and families!

Start Early advances quality early learning for families with children, before birth through their earliest years, to close the opportunity gap.

33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60603 • 312.922.3863

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