Increase equitable distribution of funds across Chicago Public Schools and community-based programs and increase supply of slots from birth to age 3.

As the fiscal agent for the city’s share of the state Early Childhood Block Grant, CPS should increase the amount of this funding that is available to community-based programs to serve children ages 0-3 so they arrive at pre-k and kindergarten ready to learn.

The need for increased funding for community-based programs to meet the true cost of serving children ages birth to 3 before they reach preschool age continues to rise. Further investment in these services is even more important now that CPS has turned its focus to Universal Pre-K for 4 year-olds and community-based programs have had to shift their program model to serve increased numbers of younger children who come with higher expenses.

Invest in the Chicago Early Learning (CEL) infrastructure, including the hotline and community collaborations embedded in the communities and conducting outreach on the ground to understand families’ needs.

 The CEL infrastructure assists tens of thousands of families in navigating the array of available early learning options that they can apply to using a centralized application, hotline and targeted community outreach conducted by local community collaborations. This infrastructure needs adequate funding to fill empty slots, reduce waitlists and address inequities.

Families depend on the CEL universal application system to identify programs in their neighborhood that meet their family’s needs. It is critical that this infrastructure receives the necessary investment to continue making strides toward equally representing available community- and school-based programming and supporting application navigation via the hotline. Community collaborations are another part of the CEL infrastructure that needs additional investment; accessible, community-level engagement and promotion ensures community-identified challenges can be surfaced and addressed.

Increase investment in the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship (CELWS).

 The City of Chicago is experiencing an early childhood workforce crisis that predates-but was also greatly exacerbated by-the pandemic. A direct way to create accessible pathways for new educators is to increase funding for CELWS, which needs approximately $15M more to meet the demand for scholarships for new early childhood educators.  

 There are over 182,000 children under age 5 that live in Chicago, almost 100,000 of whom are Black and Latino children. In a city as diverse as Chicago, with continually shifting language and cultural dynamics, the early childhood workforce needs to be representative of the children and families it serves. Support for this scholarship program is a direct way to create accessible pathways for highly qualified early childhood educators at a time when our workforce is in critical need. Funding for this program comes from the DFSS allocation of the ECBG and supports approximately 600 students each year. For the CELWS to fully meet the need of their continually growing student body at 100%, their budget would need to be $19.9M in total, which means there is a gap of $14.9M. We encourage the Board to exert their influence over the allocation of the ECBG to increase funding for the CELWS to close this budget gap.

Ensure Chicago Public Schools honors the legal rights of children with IEPs to receive services in the least restrictive environment, including when they are enrolled in community-based early childhood programs.

CPS is legally responsible for guaranteeing the right to a free, appropriate, public education in the least restrictive environment for all children ages 3-21, regardless of where they are enrolled to receive services, The current model for ensuring children in community-based settings receive special education services leads to delays and gaps in services, but CPS and Chicago’s community-based Head Start programs are partnering to develop a new model which needs greater investment and long-term commitment from CPS leadership to ensure that children can receive their services in their least restrictive environment. 

Children with disabilities continue to face an onslaught of barriers to receiving special education services in the least restrictive environment in the district’s current model, including lack of transportation, delayed school assignments, and workforce shortages in special education staff that are felt throughout the city. CPS and the city’s Head Start grantees have been collaborating to develop a new model of community-based early childhood special education service delivery that preserves family choice between school- and community-based programs, maintains a child’s legal right to receive their special education services in the least restrictive environment, and minimizes harmful disruptions to a child’s day. The new Board of Education should make a long-term commitment to scaling a model of service delivery that upholds the legal rights of children with IEPs.

Amid the recent and many transitions the Board will undergo in the coming months, it is imperative for young children and families to have representatives that are ready to support children across school- and community-based settings and improve the system by addressing these priorities. Our system is complex. That is why Start Early and our partners are inviting Board of Education members and candidates to join us on October 29 for a 90-minute Chicago Early Childhood System Overview to learn more about Chicago’s mixed-delivery system and how it currently functions to support all children age 0-5. Register now to join us!

Interview with Longtime Spokesman Review Olympia Bureau Chief Jim Camden

Jim Camden interviews former Governor Christine Gregoire (Photo Courtesy: Spokesman Review)

Enjoy highlights of my conversation with the Spokesman Review’s longtime Olympia Bureau Chief, Jim Camden…

Why Journalism and Why Spokane?
While attending the “Mizzou” School of Journalism (University of Missouri), Jim dreamed of becoming the next Ernest Hemingway, but realized the odds of hitting it big as a novelist were less than becoming a starving writer, so he opted for journalism.

Jim’s first professional journalist stop was in Lincoln, Nebraska where he worked for five years.  There, Jim served as a night copy editor, night police reporter and eventually covered the Nebraska Legislature – which is unique in that it is the only unicameral Legislature in the country (meaning it has only one legislative body).

Early in his career, Jim applied for an open position with the Spokesman Review in its Olympia Bureau.  Jim was asked what he knew about Washington state politics and when he responded with information about our state’s then U.S. Senators, he was told it was not possible to report on a state house without knowing the players and its landscape.  Fair enough.

Thankfully, the Spokesman Review saw promise in Jim and ultimately hired him in 1981, offering him a nighttime general assignment position.  As Jim talked about his professional trajectory, he described jobs and roles (like night policy reporter) that do not exist anymore as print journalism has both struggled financially and has become more automated.

Memories from Covering Spokane

Story #1 – The “South Hill Rapist”
When Jim and his wife moved to Spokane in 1981 to take on his new role with the paper, a serial rapist had the Spokane community terrified.  A detail Jim omitted when hyping up the new community to his wife!

The perpetrator, Kevin Coe, was arrested and it turned out that Coe’s father, Gordon, was the managing editor of the Spokesman Review’s main competitor, the Spokane Chronicle (but both papers shared the same owner).  Kevin Coe’s crimes centered on the city’s South Hill, hence the moniker the “South Hill Rapist.”

The story got more complicated when Gordon’s wife Ruth (Kevin’s mother) was arrested for trying to hire a hit man to kill the prosecutor as well as the judge in Kevin’s case.  Jim said to me – something to the effect of – “there are no hit men in Spokane.  If you think you are hiring a hit man, you are talking to a cop!”

One of Jim’s assignments included interviewing Gordon Coe after his wife’s arrest.  Jim also attended the trials and sentencing for Kevin. Kevin served his full 25-year sentence at the Walla Walla State Penitentiary, and, in 2008, a jury found him to be a violent sexual predator, committing him to McNeil Island indefinitely.

If you are looking for an account of these events, I recommend Jack Olsen’s “Son: A Psychopath and His Victims.”  An excellent book.  Every time I drive by the location of Ruth Coe’s arrest (now a Ross Dress for Less store), I think about this bizarre story.

Story #2 – Candidate Filing Week Pre-Internet
On a much lighter note, Jim shared memories of candidate filing week from 1984.  Of course, back in those days, there was no electronic filing – not even by fax machine!  The first person in line got the first spot on the ballot, so candidates would camp out to secure the top spot on the ballot.  Jim was there early, too, to capture the story.

I wonder what it looked like to see all of the elected and prospective elected officials waiting in line early in the morning.  It must have been a sight!

Story #3 – President George H.W. Bush in Spokane, a Sapling and a Personal Check!
In 1989, Spokane’s Congressman, the Honorable Tom Foley, was Speaker of the House of Representatives and George H.W. Bush was serving as the President of the United States of America.  As part of the 25th anniversary of the 1974 World’s Fair which was held in Spokane, President Bush visited Spokane in 1989.  In honor of the World’s Fair environmental theme, President George H.W. Bush and Speaker Foley made joint remarks at the City’s Riverfront Park and together planted a sapling that came from an American elm planted by President John Quincy Adams at the White House.  (Note: the poor sapling did not last long as its branches were destroyed and then; to preserve the tree, it was moved to an arboretum where it died after being planted too shallowly).

Anyway, like any good journalist, Jim was not satisfied with simply covering the public event at Riverfront Park.  He knew President Bush was staying at the then-Sheraton Hotel next to the Park and he suspected the President would have dinner plans, probably with Speaker Foley since they enjoyed a cordial relationship.  Jim kept a watchful eye on the presidential limousines from his own vehicle and when the limousines headed out, he did as well, keeping a safe distance so as not to not garner attention.

Sure enough, President Bush, his Environmental Protection Agency Secretary, Speaker Foley, and his wife Heather Foley were dining at the Patsy Clark Mansion which used to be a restaurant and now is a law office doubling as a wedding venue.  Jim knew the owner of the restaurant asked and asked what the group ordered to eat (of course the party had the restaurant to themselves).  Jim ended up talking to a server named Rose, who was serving the table that night.  Rose shared she did not know until she showed up for work that day that she would be serving the President of the United States and that she was “wanded” by the Secret Service every time she walked back into the dining room.  She also reported the President, upon the Speaker’s recommendation, ordered a Washington state Chardonnay paired with a steak.

This part of the story makes me smile.  Jim learned that President Bush wrote a personal check for his meal.  Tony Anderson, the owner of Patsy Clark, shared that he of course would never cash the check, a detail Jim included in his article about the dinner. Upon reading this from his room at the Sheraton the next morning, President Bush wrote personal notes to both Tony and Rose and sent cash thanking them for the memorable evening.

President George H.W. Bush prepares to plant a sapling from the White House at Spokane’s Riverfront Park in 1989 (Photo Courtesy: Spokesman Review)

Covering Olympia
While his initial attempt to become the Olympia Bureau Chief for the Spokesman didn’t work out, Jim achieved that dream in 2009.  During our time together, Jim shared memories of his time covering state politics in Olympia and his thoughts for the future of his profession.

One change he noted over his time in Olympia was the sharp decrease in the number of journalists covering the Olympia beat.  Back in the day when there were two houses for journalists (the “Blue House” and the “White House” which were recently demolished as part of the Capitol campus restructure), journalists were assigned to a house to separate competitors.  For example, reporters from competing Seattle papers would be assigned to different houses.

Jim noted that during gubernatorial press conferences under previous administrations, it would be standing room only, with journalists yelling out to get their questions answered.  Today, there are empty chairs around the table and the environment is much more polite…  a little too polite in Jim’s view.   (Side note: as I was wrapping up this piece, a Brian Dudley piece in the Seattle Times noted reporters assigned to cover Olympia news had declined 70% since 2005).

I asked Jim to share about the various Governors he covered over his tenure and he – of course – had stories…

He found the first Governor he observed in this role, Booth Gardner, to be the most open and easiest to cover.  During the 1984 general election, incumbent Governor John Spellman portrayed Gardner as a “tool of the labor unions.”  Jim shared this tact was a surprise given Gardner’s status as heir to the Weyerhaeuser timber fortune and the expectation that Gardner would be pegged as an out-of-touch rich kid.  According to Jim, a frequent sighting at that year’s Spokane Labor Rally were big buttons that read “Hi!   I’m a big labor boss!” (mocking Spellman’s attempted jab).

Once elected, Gardner visited Spokane a lot because he liked to get out of the Capitol.  Jim talked about joining the Governor and a Democratic state legislative candidate door belling one day when they happened upon the home of a Spokesman Review colleague, who was surprised to find both Governor Gardner and his colleague Jim randomly at his door.

Jim shared he admired that former Governor Gary Locke made the wise decision to marry a journalist (Mona Lee Locke) and moved his family out of the Governor’s Residence when it was overrun by bats!

Finally, Jim shared a story about former Governor Christine Gregoire and how she calmed down an entire room of children at a dinosaur exhibit who panicked after a series of unplanned and unexpected balloon explosions rattled their nerves.  Governor Gregoire told the press something to the effect of “never underestimate a mom.”

I could go on and on with the remarkable stories and insights shared by Jim, but I do want to leave you with his answer to my question about the most impactful floor debate he witnessed, because he had obviously witnessed thousands of floor debates and votes from the mundane to the monumental.  In terms of the most impactful floor debate during his tenure, Jim cited the House of Representatives’ February 8, 2012, two-hour debate on SB 6329 which brought marriage equality to Washington state.  Jim found the debate “hearty” and thoughtful.

On January 4, 2021, Jim left the Spokesman Review as a full-time employee, but still writes for them on a part-time basis.  He currently writes a Sunday column where he is known for frequently including quizzes on political/historical matters that can stump the best of us.   He is also brought in to cover significant political stories where his expertise is key.

On September 9th, Jim was featured on the Spokesman’s front page in two places – his moderation of a discussion with the author of a new book about former Speaker of the House Tom Foley as well as his of coverage of I-2109, the effort to repeal the Capital Gains Tax.  Feels pretty full-time to me!

A huge thanks to Jim and to all of the amazing journalists who cover our state houses!

We celebrate the Department for making these key advancements towards increasing the supply and quality of infant and toddler child care, however, more work remains to be done.

We recommend that the state invest in grants and contracts to stabilize and expand the supply of infant and toddler child care across the state, a strategy also supported by the latest federal rule. Strategic investment in contracts and grants has been found to support stable enrollment for infants and toddlers as well as the hiring and retention of qualified staff.  Only six other states use this strategy to stabilize the supply of subsidized care, however, states that utilize contracts report that the reimbursement rates are closer to the cost of providing care, and therefore allows providers to invest in quality improvements. Grants and contracts will not only stabilize the supply of infant and toddler care, but can also help providers access the resources they need to increase the quality of their child care programs.

To make Illinois the best state to raise a family we must ensure that all families have access to quality and affordable child care.  

Interested in learning more about the Infant and Toddler Child Care Roadmap? Watch Raising Illinois’ statewide gathering, Child Care: Correcting Perception by Acknowledging Impact.

Washington State’s Smallest Ferry: the M/V Sanpoil, aka the Keller Ferry
Photo courtesy of WSDOT

Happy New (Fiscal) Year!  The state’s fiscal year begins each July 1st. Hopefully you celebrated accordingly. 😊

Washington State Fun Fact

To honor the spirit of summer, here’s a fun fact about our state! Brownie points to any readers who take advantage of this knowledge and send us a pic sometime this summer; we’ll even feature it in a future edition of Notes (if desired)!

In terms of fleet number and ridership, Washington State Ferries is the largest public ferry operator in the country and provides transportation to many of the state’s beautiful islands.

Updated Caseload Forecast Released

On June 13, the Washington State Caseload Forecast Council released updated forecasts for various entitlement programs ranging from K-12 education to prisons to Medicaid. These forecasts inform budget appropriations by previewing expected demands for specific programs. (Summary document and Narrative document for specific details).

In the early learning space, three key programs are forecasted and showed the following projected changes from the most recent February forecast:

ECEAP: The Caseload Forecast Council reports that ECEAP caseload has increased since the low point of the 2020-21 school year during the pandemic.

As in earlier forecasts, most of the ECEAP enrollment growth has come from children who do not meet eligibility under the current criteria. As of March 2024, of the increased enrollment, 343 children met current ECEAP eligibility criteria (3% below March 2023 levels) while 1,065 children did not meet entitlement eligibility criteria (49.9% above March 2023 levels).

As directed in the Fair Start for Kids Act, ECEAP is scheduled to become an entitlement as of July 1, 2026, and income eligibility for the program is scheduled to increase from 110% of the Federal Poverty Level to 36% State Median Income (which is roughly 140% of the Federal Poverty Level). The forecast reflects the projected impacts of these increases.

Actual ECEAP caseloads as compared to the forecast could vary as the forecast assumes substantial caseload growth once the program becomes an entitlement and limited data exists about uptake rates. There could also be variance from the forecast as children included in the forecast for ECEAP participation could opt for participation in other early learning program options.

Transition to Kindergarten: The Caseload Forecast Council narrative notes that during the 2023-24 school year, 144 school districts offered Transitional Kindergarten/Transition to Kindergarten (TK/TTK) in 288 schools. Based on information provided by districts, that number is expected to grow to 161 districts offering TTK in 371 schools in the 2024-25 school year.

While initial growth in TTK was largely centered in rural and smaller school districts, the program is expanding to larger ones, including the Renton and Tacoma school districts in the upcoming school year.

Because this is an emerging program, actual enrollment in TTK could vary from the forecast as districts could opt in or opt out of operating the program.

Working Connections Child Care: In its June forecast, the Forecast Council aimed to account for recently enacted legislation that expanded eligibility for Working Connections Child Care and also for the increased income eligibility (up to 75% of the State Median Income) slated to go into effect on July 1, 2025 per the Fair Start for Kids Act.The risk of variance to this forecast is moderate to high, particularly if participation in the program varies widely from the forecast assumptions once the program’s income eligibility is expanded.

The Caseload Forecast Council is next scheduled to meet on November 13th. This forecast will inform Governor Inslee’s final budget that will be released in December.

Washington Research Council Caseload Forecast Summary Highlights Fair Start for Kids Act: The Washington Research Council, a nonprofit organization that provides economic research and policy analysis, found implementation of aspects of the Fair Start for Kids Act during the 2025-27 biennium as its biggest take-away from the June Forecast Council report and highlighted the implications in its caseload forecast analysis.

In a blog post, the Research Council describes the portions of the Fair Start for Kids Act of 2021 that are slated to go into effect during the upcoming 2025-27 biennium that are reflected in the caseload forecast (e.g. increased income eligibility for Working Connections Child Care and ECEAP entitlement). It is an accurate synopsis and provides an outside look at how other sectors are assessing early learning’s impact on the overall state budget.

Revenue Forecast

On June 26, the Washington State Economic and Revenue Forecast Council met to receive an updated Revenue Forecast from state Economist Dave Reich.

The bottom line is the state’s projected available revenues subject to the four-year budget outlook for the 2023-27 biennia are down by $666 million (or down by 0.5%) from the February forecast. This represents a decrease of $477 million in the current 2023-25 biennium and a decrease of $189 million for the upcoming 2025-27 biennium.

The Education Legacy Trust Account (which is funded in part by capital gains revenue and represents one source of funding for early learning) saw a reduction in projected revenues from the February forecast, largely due to lower projected capital gains receipts. Specifically, the forecast presumes a reduction of $188 million for the 2023-25 biennium and a reduction of $119 million for the 2025-27 biennium.

When asked about the lower capital gains receipts, Economist Reich responded with his opinion that this lower number likely more accurately reflects taxpayer behavior and, going forward, he expects capital gains receipts to be forecasted at $430 million a year. Note: this would mean that, per statute, the Common Schools Construction Account would not receive any capital gains funding as it would only receive funding if capital gain revenues exceed $500 million a year.

When questioned by reporters, Office of Financial Management Director David Schumacher and Democratic budget writers emphasized that the Legislature left healthy reserves and ending fund balances. They also noted this revenue forecast reflects a point in time and additional information will be available as the year goes on – including the outcome of the November initiatives impacting the continued availability of Capital Gains and Climate Commitment Act funding.

The Economic and Revenue Forecast Council will receive two more Revenue Forecasts in 2024 – one on September 27th and a second on November 20th, with the November forecast informing Governor Inslee’s final budget.

State Agency Budget Instructions and OFM Leadership Transition

On June 3rd, the Office of Financial Management (OFM) Director David Schumacher released instructions to guide state agencies in preparation of operating, capital and transportation budget requests (or “Decision Packages”) which are due to OFM by September 10th.

Notably, the instructions open by recognizing more people will need state services in the upcoming biennium, leading to increased costs for providing them. At the same time, available revenues will most likely only “… support the maintenance of current programs, but not growth.”

The instructions direct state agencies to focus on continuation of current programs and anticipated caseload growth. They go on to say that “agencies should also consider potentially pausing the phase-in of new programs, and the creation of new programs should be limited to only the highest priorities.” Of course, the outcome of the November ballot initiatives could impact the availability of revenue and agencies should consider the potential of reduced revenues resulting from the passage of initiatives in their budget requests.

As noted in the instruction letter, agency budget requests are due to OFM by September 10th and will be public shortly thereafter. The Governor and OFM will use this information (along with updated caseload and revenue forecast numbers) to build Governor Inslee’s final budgets that will be released in mid-late December. It will be interesting to see how state agencies interpret these instructions.

OFM Leadership Transition: It should also be noted that Schumacher, who has served as OFM Director for 12 years, recently announced he will be leaving his role this fall to serve as the Public Affairs Director for the Washington State Investment Board. As we get closer to the conclusion of Governor Inslee’s tenure, we can expect to see the departure of other senior members of his team.

Reminder: August Primary Election is Coming!

Don’t forget to vote! The upcoming Primary Election is on Tuesday, August 6 and ballots must be received by 8pm to be counted. Register to vote on the Secretary of State’s website.

Build and sustain the full spectrum of ECE workforce 

Increase the City’s Corporate Fund investment in the Chicago Early Learning Workforce Scholarship (CELWS) by $15M to help address the early childhood workforce crisis and close the ever-growing funding gap between demand and availability of the scholarship.  

The City of Chicago is experiencing an early childhood workforce crisis that predates—but was also greatly exacerbated by—the pandemic. A direct way to create accessible pathways for new educators is to increase funding for CELWS through the allocation to the Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS) budget that comes from the City’s Corporate Fund. The scholarship supports approximately 600 students each year—around 200 new awardees plus those continuing – which historically represents just over half of the number of applications received.  

Acknowledge the critical work of early childhood professionals by dedicating City funding to increase support and compensation for the workforce through premium pay or short-term investments.   

As the City works to structurally and sustainably address the gap in pay parity between educators in school-based early childhood settings and community-based settings in the long-term, funds from the city budget should be used to increase compensation for these essential workers in the short-term. The City should consider premium pay or short-term investments in compensation for early childhood workers—including those working in center-based and family child care homes, Early Interventionists, home visitors and doulas—that other cities have adopted. 

Dedicate Corporate Fund investment to Family Connects Chicago (FCC) to sustain investment in its critical operations currently funded through expiring American Rescue Plan Act funds.   

FCC is a universal newborn support model that combats disparities in maternal and infant health outcomes by offering a nurse home visit to every birthing family in Chicago. Administered by the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), this program serves as one of the earliest components of the prenatal-to-five system.  

Continue investment in the modernization of Chicago’s early childhood data infrastructure  

Invest City funds in the Chicago Early Childhood Integrated Data System (CECIDS) to ensure this public good is providing real-time, accurate data that is essential to advancing a clear understanding of the City’s ECE landscape and equity in accessibility.  

Chicago’s 180,000 young children, ages birth through 5 are served through a variety of early childhood programs and funding streams, each with its own data system, set of eligibility guidelines and compliance requirements. CECIDS was developed out of an imperative to mitigate this fragmentation that exacerbates inequities and limits program improvement. CECIDS bridges the gaps between disparate early childhood programs and funding streams, offering an integrated platform that provides all stakeholders insight on Chicago’s progress towards its goals for equitable access to high quality early childhood education and care and fair compensation for the early childhood workforce and continuing the City’s $529,000 investment in its sustainability is paramount.  

Contact your Alderman now to ask them to support an increase in investments for early care and education in the 2025 Chicago budget.

Your Turn: Why Increasing Early Intervention Funding is Crucial in Illinois

Jen Crick, President of the Illinois Developmental Therapy Association

As a parent of children who greatly benefited from various therapies throughout their childhoods, I fully understand the importance of a system like Early Intervention (EI) that supports families of young children with delays or disabilities as they navigate through the first three years of their child’s life.  

As a developmental therapist and president of the Illinois Developmental Therapy Association (IDTA), I have seen firsthand the positive outcomes for families and children who receive critical EI services, and I know that it takes dedicated professionals with the expertise and adequate resources to ensure that infants and toddlers with delays or disabilities have the best chance for healthy development.  

My colleagues and I have supported thousands of infants and toddlers through the EI program, and it is amazing how quickly we see progress and how life trajectories change in the months that we are with them. EI helps families to support their infants and toddlers and helps to prevent, mitigate, or eliminate delays making children more prepared for success in school and life.  

National data on child outcomes for children who receive EI show that almost 50% of infants and toddlers who receive EI function at age expectancy when they exit EI in social functioning, knowledge and skills and taking action to meet their needs.

EI is a program provided for under federal (and state) law – Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that gives infants and toddlers with or at substantial risk for disabilities and delays and their families the right to receive a range of developmental and therapeutic services.  

Despite this mandate, thousands of children in Illinois are on waiting lists for EI services, causing them to fall further behind during a critical period of development when a child’s brain is rapidly changing. Nearly 3,000 families are currently on waiting lists for the EI services they are legally entitled to receive.  

The percentage of families waiting more than 30 days for their services to begin has more than doubled over the last two years, and data from the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) does not account for the thousands more families waiting for an initial evaluation. The delays in the EI system are at levels previously unseen in the recent history of the program.  

Service delays are tied directly to the program’s ongoing workforce crisis. Despite a long-overdue rate increase in FY24, decades of neglect have left providers without adequate compensation. In fact, the state would need to raise provider reimbursement rates by at least 25% just to account for inflation. Most EI providers, who work as fee-for-service independent contractors and not full-time state staff, must cover their own health insurance and travel costs and are not compensated for missed or canceled appointments.  

These challenges, among others, are leading providers – many of whom have advanced degrees – to leave EI and work instead in hospitals, schools, private practices, or other settings. As providers, we believe in EI and are wholly dedicated to developing relationships with families and supporting them in being their child’s best and foremost advocate.  

So, it’s heartbreaking to be led to choose to leave an industry that needs us so desperately. In fact, many providers can no longer make a living wage in EI and can only continue if they have a significant other with income and benefits. This has resulted in a shrinking workforce, directly affecting families’ access to these critical supports.  

The Illinois General Assembly has an opportunity this year to address the EI program’s stubbornly high service delays and an impending workforce crisis.  

We are urging the legislature to increase funding for the EI program by $40 million in the FY25 budget to provide a 10% rate increase for providers and service coordinators and to respond to increasing demand for the services and other systems improvements. This investment will continue to provide the necessary increases that must be sustained over the next few years until the system is stabilized.  

According to the Illinois Department of Human Services’ Smart Start: Early Intervention plan, an increase in the budget would stabilize our EI program by assisting us in bringing  EI providers back to the field, balancing caseloads, lowering service delays, and demonstrating the administration’s appreciation and support to this vital field.  

We appreciate all the work the Department is doing to do multi-state research, build cost models and launch innovative pilots to address disparities in access to services and improve the EI system, and yet, without any commitment of funding, none of this work can be implemented.  

We encourage all Illinoisans to contact your legislators and demand a $40 million increase to the state’s Early Intervention budget for FY2025.  

We cannot allow infants and toddlers with disabilities and delays and their families to be denied these services that they have a right to receive and that make such a huge difference in their development and long-term health and educational outcomes. The earliest years matter—our babies can’t wait.

Jen Crick is the president of the Illinois Developmental Therapy Association and a Developmental Therapist serving the Northwest Suburbs in Lake and McHenry counties. She has served on several EI committees and workgroups in Illinois including the PN-3 Coalition (now Raising Illinois), a workforce workgroup, and the Early Childhood Quality Alliance Panel.

Check out the above op-ed published in the State-Journal Register on May 17, 2024

Learn more about how you can take action for Early Intervention.