J.B. claims $40M in fed funds for early childhood

Guv follows through on pledge to make Illinois ‘best state in the nation for families raising young children’

Gov. Pritzker has secured $40 million in federal funding to follow through on his pledge to make Illinois ““the best state in the nation for families raising young children.” (One Illinois/Ted Cox)

By Ted Cox

Gov. J.B. Pritzker announced Monday he had secured $40 million in federal funding to help fulfill his pledge to make Illinois “the best state in the nation for families raising young children.”

According to a news release put out by the Governor’s Office, Illinois will collect $13.4 million a year for three years, from 2020 through 2022, from the Preschool Development Birth through Five Renewal Grant through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“From our aggressive efforts to secure federal funding to our historic investments in early childhood programs and facilities, Illinois will become the best state in the nation for families raising young children," Pritzker said in a statement. "We have so much more to accomplish for Illinois families and their children, and this administration will continue investing in the care and education our kids need to succeed.”

Just a week ago, Pritzker announced a renewed emphasis on childhood development, in part by bolstering the Child Care Assistance Program, an aid program repeatedly undermined by his predecessor, former Gov. Bruce Rauner. He also committed to increasing reimbursement rates for child-care providers statewide by 5 percent, and by a total of 20 percent for providers in rural areas, with an additional $3 million dedicated for workforce training in preschool child care.

Preschool has been shown in studies to be one of the most effective ways to address social inequity.

“The competitive federal program supports states' efforts to build early childhood program infrastructure and expand high-quality preschool programs in targeted communities that would serve as models for expanding preschool to all 4-year-olds from low- and moderate-income families,” according to the release. “The award comes with a 30 percent cost-sharing commitment with non-federal funds,” and it’s expected to strengthen coordination in the system, improve program quality, or expand services.

Pritzker has already boosted the state’s Early Childhood Education Block Grant by $50 million, and the Rebuild Illinois capital plan has allocated $100 million to early childhood facilities across the state.