DIFFERENCE.

TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE CHANGE.

>>> FREE PUBLIC EDUCATION STARTS AT THE KINDERGARTEN LEVEL.

REVEALING JUST HOW CRITICAL THE LONG-TERM OUTCOMES ARE.

EXPANDED ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND THIS PROPOSED PROGRAM IS PART OF THE 2024 PLAN, ADDING A TOTAL OF 20,000 SLOTS.

HERE IS SOME OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAD TO SAY.

>> THIS IS COMPOSED OF PRE-K, CHILDHOOD, INTERVENTION, GIVING MODERATE INCOME FAMILIES GREAT ACCESS AND CONSIST OF A WORKFORCE MADE UP LARGELY OF WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF COLOR.

WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE ACCESS TO PRESCHOOL AT EVERY STAGE.

>>> WE ARE DISCUSSING WHAT THIS COULD MEAN FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION IN ILLINOIS.

A POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER AT THE CAROL ROBERTSON CENTER FOR LEARNING, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

APRIL, HOW WOULD YOU SAY THAT ILLINOIS COMPARES TO OTHER STATES IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION?

>> WE HAVE BEEN FOCUSED ON THIS FOR A LONG TIME AND WE HAVE BEEN INVESTING MORE OVER THE YEARS.

>> WHAT ARE THE BARRIERS TO EARLY EDUCATION, THAT FAMILIES EXPERIENCE?

>> THE PRIMARY BARRIER TO ACCESS IS NOT HAVING THE RESOURCES.

MODERATE INCOME WORKING FAMILIES CANNOT MEET THE PRICES OFTEN CHARGE FOR HIGH-QUALITY EDUCATION.

>> THIS INCLUDES IMPROVING EDUCATION WAGES.

>> THIS WILL BE EXTREMELY IMPACTFUL.

MY OWN CHILDREN, THEY WERE FOUR MONTHS AND TWO YEARS OLD AND IT HELPS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE WELL COMPENSATED.

>> IN THIS TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM, TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT WHAT THAT DOES AND WHAT IT IS.

>> WE ARE TRYING TO BE REALLY RESPONSIVE TO THE NEEDS OF COMMUNITIES.

THERE IS ALSO ENDORSEMENT FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION.

REALLY, SUPPORTING EDUCATORS.

>> YOU GUYS ARE NODDING YOUR HEADS.

WHAT KIND OF DIFFERENCE MIGHT THAT MAKE?

TO RETAIN THOSE EMPLOYEES, THE MAJORITY OF THESE WOMEN, HAVING THEM PUSH THAT TRAINING AND GET THAT EDUCATION, TO DO THAT.

>> AND WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES OF HIRING?

>> REALLY, THOSE OLD NOTIONS OF CHILD MINDING.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THESE CAREERS, THAT INCLUDES EDUCATION.

SO, THIS CREATES AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW IN EDUCATION WITH COMMUNITIES AND FAMILIES.

>> HOW CAN THE GOVERNOR'S PROPOSAL IMPROVE THESE SERVICES?

>> WHAT IT TAKES FOR HIGH- QUALITY EDUCATION, TEACHER TRAINING, AND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS, TO INCREASE THE WAGES WITH HIGHER EDUCATION PAYMENT, THAT IS THE SAUCE THAT IS NOT SO GREAT.

SO SECRET.

>> WHAT BENEFITS TO CHILDREN POTENTIALLY GAME?

>> OFFERING EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE WITH A FOCUS ON INFANTS AND TODDLERS.

>> WHAT ACCESS MIGHT THAT MEAN, VERSUS THOSE WHO MIGHT BE PAYING MARKET RATES?

>> IS VERY IMPACTFUL WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT SOME FAMILIES CAN MAINTAIN.

WITH THESE EARLY EDUCATION PROGRAMS, THIS MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE ALL THE TIME, AND THERE'S THAT DECISION OF DOING WORK, DO I STAY HOME, AND THEN, YOU NEED TO THINK ABOUT CHILDCARE.

>> RIGHT, AND THEN THERE IS AN INCOME CAP, RIGHT?

SHOULD SMARTSTART BE ENACTED, WHAT ARE YOUR METRICS OF SUCCESS?

>> ONE OF THE METRICS WILL REALLY BE VISUALIZING EQUITY.

I THINK THE INVESTMENT IN QUALITY PROGRAMS AND PROVIDERS TO BUILD UP THEIR OWN INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORTING THE WORKFORCE.

THE QUESTION IS HOW WE ARE DISMANTLING SOME OF THESE INEQUITIES AND THAT PUSH THAT WE ARE SEEING.

>> HOW IS THINKING INVOLVED IN PROVIDING CHILDCARE TO AGE GROUP FIVE?

>> THE TRAJECTORY OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION RESTS ON YEARS OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT.

RESEARCH TELLS US THAT THESE ARE CRITICAL AGES, SO WE HAVE TO MOVE AND CREATE THAT SYSTEM FOR PRACTITIONERS.

WE HAVEN'T LOOKED AT THAT EARLY EDUCATION AS PART OF IT.

YOU HAVE TO WORK WITH CHILDREN HERE.

I THINK THAT'S A BIG THING THAT IS REALLY GOING TO HELP OUR CHILDREN AND AS THEY FOCUS ON READINESS.

NOW THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THAT, WE CAN SEE THOSE OUTCOMES.

>> WE HAVE A LITTLE LESS THAN A MINUTE LEFT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUNG PEOPLE LEARN.

>> THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE MECHANISMS AND HOW ARE THEY