SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Illinois will soon have a new state agency responsible for early childhood education programs. Gov. JB Pritzker told reporters in Chicago Tuesday that he believes the new law will make services simpler, better and fairer for children and their families.

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood will take over the state’s childhood block grant program, child care assistance program, home visiting and early intervention services.

"It’s hard enough juggling all of the responsibilities that fall on the shoulders of parents," Pritzker said. "On top of that, they shouldn’t have to navigate a complex bureaucracy to get to the care that they and their children deserve."

The future agency will also be responsible for daycare licensing, which has become a major problem for the Department of Children and Family Services. Sponsors said this change will improve the quality of childcare, ease financial burdens on parents and reshape communities for the future.

 "Children across Illinois will see and learn that we love them and that we will do whatever it takes to make their futures as bright as possible," said Rep. Mary Beth Canty (D-Arlington Heights).

The Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding recommended that the state should consolidate all early childhood programs into a new agency in 2021. Pritzker said he is excited to establish the new department on July 1 and allow two years for the programs to transition under one roof.

"This initiative represents far more than restructuring," said Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford (D-Maywood). "It symbolizes our commitment to a holistic trauma-informed approach to meeting the diverse needs of our youngest citizens."

The legislation passed out of the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support, although some Republicans argued the new agency will cause more headaches for taxpayers. Rep. Blaine Wilhour (R-Beecher City) and every other member of the conservative Freedom Caucus voted against the plan.

"I don’t think anywhere in the history of government, especially in the history of government in the state of Illinois, have we created bureaucracy, especially massive bureaucracy, and it worked out well for the taxpayers at the end of the day," Wilhour said.

The Department of Early Childhood will officially start running these programs on July 1, 2026. State officials will work with teachers, parents, providers and stakeholders to design the best framework for the new agency over the next two years. 

"We can open up doors of growth and opportunity that previously didn’t exist," Pritzker said. "We can create an Illinois where no outcome is predetermined by race or zip code or socioeconomic status. That all starts in theses earliest years."

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