High-Quality Early Education For All of Illinois' Children - Ounce of ...

✓Create a pipeline of qualified staffFull implementation of Preschool for All would require many more qualified teachers than Illinois nowhas—even if some former teachers could be attracted back to the field. Meeting the estimated need for2,000 more teachers with bachelor's degrees and specialized training in early education in the comingyears, particularly in hard-to-serve communities, would require additional investments in our state'sprofessional development system. About 1,600 child care and Head Start teachers have baccalaureatedegrees and significant teaching experience but lack early childhood teacher certification. Many morehave 2-year associate degrees. Most would need to work full-time while attending school and could notafford to pay full tuition or complete unpaid student teaching assignments.✓✓✓For Preschool for All to be successful, new investments in the professional development of the workforceare critical. This would include: additional scholarships; expanded early childhood teacher preparationprograms, including alternative certification programs; and training for bilingual educators who arereflective of Illinois' increasingly culturally diverse population.Support ongoing learning by teachers and other staffEvery Preschool for All program would have a comprehensive professional development plan that wouldcover all aspects of staff recruitment, preparation, and ongoing professional development. The plan wouldspecify the kinds of supervision, mentoring, and learning opportunities to be offered to staff members.It would show how colleges and universities would be involved in professional preparation anddevelopment activities.Utilize proven, research-based curriculaWhen programs use research-based curricula, children learn more and are better prepared to successfullymaster the complex demands of formal schooling. Preschool for All programs would be required to choosean approved, proven curriculum that is well-designed, comprehensive, and aligned with Illinois EarlyLearning Standards and Head Start standards. Curricula and classroom routines would reflect children'svaried backgrounds and take into account each child's interests, special needs, and cultural and linguisticexperiences.Utilize proven, research-based program models for infants, toddlers and their familiesQuality would be the hallmark of Preschool for All infant and toddler programs. To ensure that organizationsare providing services of the type and intensity that have been shown to achieve positive results with veryyoung children and their families, programs would be required to implement research-based program modelsthat have demonstrated success through rigorous evaluation. These models address program elements suchas intensity of services delivered, staff-family ratios, methods and approaches, staff training andqualifications, family involvement and periodic child assessment. As well as funding new programs, existingprograms could receive funding to upgrade services and implement a research-based model, and programsalready implementing a proven model could apply for funding to provide enhanced services based ondemonstrated community need. Additionally, Preschool for All would provide funding for implementation andevaluation of innovative pilot programs with a sound research basis.14