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Greetings Early Childhood Community,

The GOECD team honors the lives of the victims killed in Georgia as a result of hate crimes. We send our condolences to the families, friends, and communities of the individuals who lost their lives—mostly women of Asian descent. We say their names-Daoyou Feng, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Hyun Jung Grant, Paul Andre Michels, Soon Chung Park, Suncha Kim, Yong Ae Yue, and Xiaojie Tan.

The horrific murders in Atlanta have highlighted once again the persistent violence against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. There has been an increase in Anti-Asian and Pacific Islander hate crimes in the United States and in 2020 as a result of undue blaming and scapegoating of Asian-identified people for the COVID-19 pandemic. It has been reported that there has been an increase of nearly 150% of Anti-Asian accounts of harassment or racist acts. AAPI women were victims at a rate of 2.3 times higher than AAPI men. Illinois ranks seventh in the nation in the number of reported incidents.

On behalf of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD), we stand in solidarity with our staff members and collectively with AAPI families, friends, colleagues, and communities during this difficult time. It is especially important that we reach out and extend ourselves to our early childhood workforce and colleagues who identify as AAPI, as well as address anti-Asian racism in our work and communities.

We have provided a guide developed by GOECD team member, Deborah Hwang, that addresses the need to stop the spread of hate and offers guidance for early childhood policymakers, advocates, providers, and families for how to respond to anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander racism. 

As we continue to move forward with our focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion let us be mindful that we need to do better. I continue to share the reminder that we must lean into the difficult conversations. In addition, we must highlight and celebrate the amazing contributions of the AAPI community, and stand together to eradicate the racism and hate which continues to remain prevalent in this country. Remember, our children are watching.
Jamilah R. Jor'dan, PhD
Executive Director
Illinois Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development (GOECD)
Resources to Help Navigate This Difficult Time
Opportunities
GOECD is Hiring for a Senior Data Analyst
The Senior Data Analyst executes, supports, and manages data projects at the regional, state, and local levels for the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5). Click here for the position description. Interested applicants should send a Cover Letter and Resume to: Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development c/o GOV.OECD@Illinois.gov.

Please share this job opportunity widely across your networks!
Apply for the Teach Plus Early Childhood Educator Policy Fellowship
Applications are now open for the 2021-2022 Teach Plus Illinois Early Childhood Educator Policy Fellowship. This highly selective leadership opportunity is for outstanding Illinois early childhood educators looking to deepen their knowledge of education policy and gain a voice in decisions that affect students and the early childhood profession. Early childhood educators will expand their influence without leaving the classroom and receive a $1,600 stipend for their commitment. No prior policy experience is required to apply for this fellowship. Applications are due by April 25, 2021. Please reach out to Sinthu Ramalingam at sramalingam@teachplus.org with any questions.
Quarterly Meeting for Mental Health Consultants
GOECD and INCCRRA have set up a quarterly call to offer Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultants (I/ECMHC) a chance to meet with fellow consultants. The Illinois field of I/ECMHC is evolving towards a more systematic approach to sharing information, connecting with colleagues, and learning about professional development opportunities. GOECD and INCCRRA will be facilitating quarterly calls for independent and program-embedded consultants and their supervisors across the State and across child-serving systems (Early Intervention, Home Visiting, Early Head Start/Head Start, Preschool For All/Prevention Initiative (PFA/PI), and Child Care). If you are an I/ECMHC consultant, please plan to join this call for your opportunity to:
 
  1. Meet with the team that is working to support you
  2. Connect with your peers
  3. Learn more about system efforts in Illinois
 
The first quarterly meeting took place in January, and the second of these quarterly meetings is scheduled via Zoom in April.
 
Thursday, April 29, 2021
10:30 AM – 12:00 PM 

Register to attend: https://www.cvent.com/d/4jq28n
Registration deadline: Monday, April 26.
Zoom link to be provided to all registrants via email by April 28.

The link will be emailed to participants registered in the Gateways Registry. Please note: to attend this call, you must be registered in Gateways.
Preschool Development Birth through Five (PDG B-5)
2020 Annual Report: Home Visiting-Child Welfare Project
The Erikson Institute Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Early Childhood Project released a 2020 Annual Report for the PDG B-5 Home Visiting-Child Welfare Project. Funded in part by the PDG B-5 grant, this project connects 0-3 families receiving DCFS Intact Family Services to evidence-based home visiting programs, with the goal of improving outcomes for this priority population. During the project’s first year, 126 families were identified, 34% of which were enrolled in home visiting. The report includes an analysis of the data, identification of systems barriers, and recommendations (which will be used to drive improvements in 2021 and beyond).

To read more on this project, click here.
Illinois Home Visitor Credential Crosswalk Report
In a project funded by the PDG B-5 grant, a panel of higher education faculty and other stakeholders found alignment between the Illinois home visitor core competencies and two existing credentials—the Home Visitor Child Development Associate (recognized by Head Start/Early Head Start) and the Gateways to Opportunity® Family Specialist Credential (which will be required by the City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services). The report will be used to guide the State’s ongoing work to equitably strengthen the home visiting workforce and to increase home visitor compensation. Special thanks to the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA) for coordinating this project.
 
Click here to read the full report.
Early Childhood Education Credential Competency Project Report
A recent report has been issued on the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Credential Competency Project. The report lays out the process and outcomes of the early childhood teacher preparation competency-based education curriculum module development work at the state-level for early childhood education programs. The goal of the project is to create individual modules for each early childhood teacher preparation competency in order to increase access and provide additional avenues for the early childhood workforce to achieve credential(s) and degrees. The goal of the individualization of competencies into discrete modules is to reduce the barriers for students and provide a way for colleges and universities to provide individualized and student-centered approaches to showing competence on the early childhood competencies. It also allows for flexibility of design through placement with a range of courses at higher education institutions.

To read the full report click here
Illinois Pyramid Model Evaluation Report
As part of the Illinois Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) Strategic Plan, state leaders and stakeholders are collaborating to expand access to high-quality early childhood education programming, and to support Illinois' ECEC workforce infrastructure. This work is being realized through a variety of federal and state funding opportunities for professional development and supports that are being offered to ECEC programs and the broader workforce. The ultimate goal is to ensure high-quality programs for all children across the ECEC system.

Illinois has promoted adoption of the Pyramid Model since 2017 through a continued collaboration with the Pyramid Model Consortium (PMC). PMC is a non-profit organization that promotes high-fidelity use of the Pyramid Model through professional development sessions, online training opportunities, Process Coach supports and guidance for implementing ECEC programs, and access to resources for implementation.

PMC organized and facilitated the services and supports that comprised the Pyramid Model activities during 2020. These activities included continued support for new and existing implementation sites, as well as professional development for program personnel and the broader workforce in Pyramid Model practices and strategies. There are currently 37 ECEC programs across ISBE, Head Start, and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Child Care Centers that are working toward Pyramid Model implementation. Each program has a Leadership Team to oversee implementation, as well as a Process Coach who provides support and guidance on a regular basis.
The 2020 Evaluation Report addresses Pyramid Model activities and progress across the state, and was made possible as part of the three-year, federal Illinois Preschool Development Grant Birth Though Five (PDG B-5).

To read the full evaluation report, click here.
Preschool Development Grant Birth-5 Education Reimbursement Initiative Data Analysis Report 
The Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5) Education Reimbursement Initiative was launched to support the early childhood workforce in Illinois. Through the Governor’s Office for Early Childhood Development (GOECD), with funding from the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), and in partnership with the Illinois Network of Child Care Resources and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA), this program was implemented to address potential financial barriers for early childhood education and care providers in advancing or completing educational goals at accredited Illinois institutions of higher education.

While the initiative was successful in its ability to provide varying amounts of relief for recipients, a new report was released with recommendations for further supporting early educators and addressing their higher education barriers that are needed for increased success in the future.

To read the one-page summary of this report, click here.

To view the one-page data infographic from this report, click here

To read the full report, click here
COVID-19 Resources
Anti-Asian American Racism Impacts Children’s Return to In-Person Learning
COVID-19-related anti-Asian American racism continues to surge and impact children and families across the U.S. According to Stop AAPI Hate, the nation’s leading coalition documenting and addressing anti-Asian hate and discrimination through the pandemic, over 2,800 hate incidents have been reported thus far. NPR reports that hate crimes against Asian Americans have increased by 150 percent across 16 cities in 2020 alone.

As schools across the U.S. are reopening or preparing to, the continual increase in anti-Asian American racism have made parents and students fear not just bullying within the classrooms but harassment from adults on the way to school. Many Asian American families across the U.S. are opting to keep their children at home at disproportionately high rates, with projected negative impacts on student learning. One third of Asians in the U.S. have limited English proficiency, which holds implications for children’s learning with parents that speak limited English at home.

The Society for Research in Child Development provides policy and practice implications for providers, community leaders, and policymakers on addressing anti-Asian sentiments. Recommendations include “engaging families and community members prior to reopening schools and strengthening school-community efforts to identify and prevent anti-Asian sentiments from spreading in person and online” as well as “ensuring that teachers/staff proactively assess Asian American [childrens’] and families’ technology access and support, English language support, and socio-emotional needs via regular online or phone check-ins, as they may be reluctant to seek help.”

GOECD also issued guidance in May 2020 for families, providers, and policymakers on addressing anti-Asian American racism during the pandemic.
COVID-19 Vaccination Survey for Child Care Providers
On March 2, 2021, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services directed states and territories to get all teachers, school personnel, child care program educators, and other child care program staff members their first coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination by the end of the month. To help monitor progress toward this goal, we are helping the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct a survey to learn about your attitudes and behaviors regarding COVID-19 vaccination. The survey should take only 5-10 minutes to complete. Your participation is completely voluntary. No personally identifying information will be collected, and your responses will be kept confidential.
 
If you agree to participate, please complete this National COVID-19 Vaccination Survey. If you receive the link multiple times, please complete the survey just once. The survey closes on March 31, 2021.Thank you for your participation!
CDC: COVID-19 Vaccine Communication Resources for Teachers, School Staff, and Child Care Providers
March is School and Childcare Staff COVID-19 Vaccination Month. Click here for CDC resources all can use to help communicate about nationwide efforts to vaccinate teachers, school staff, and childcare providers against COVID-19.
Resources to Ensure Illinoisans Receive Their Coronavirus Economic Stimulus Payments 
Most Illinoisans are eligible for Economic Impact Payments, or stimulus checks, from the federal government. A group of nonprofit organizations have come together to help ensure more hardworking, low-income Illinoisans are able to quickly and efficiently receive these funds. Visit www.GetMyPaymentIL.org. Using the dropdown menu in the top left corner of the homepage, the website can be translated into English, Arabic, Chinese, Polish, Spanish, and Tagalog. 
Children's Book Addresses COVID-19
The children's book, Trinka and Sam Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka, Sam, and Littletown Work Together, helps young children and families talk about their experiences and feelings related to COVID-19 and the need to shelter in place. In the story, the coronavirus has spread to Littletown, causing changes in everyone's lives. The story opens doors to conversations about COVID-19, how families and communities are working together to keep safe from the virus, family and community strengths, common challenges and reactions in children and adults, ways that families support children and each other, and expressing intense gratitude for frontline workers. A caregiver guide in the back of the book provides ways parents can use the story with their children. A companion story, Fighting the Big Virus: Trinka's and Sam's Questions, is also available to help answer children's questions about the coronavirus. Both resources are available in multiple languages on the webpages linked above.
City of Chicago Offers In-Home Vaccinations
The City of Chicago is working to integrate mobile home health care vaccination services to reach home-bound individuals who are unable to go to the City’s COVID-19 vaccination sites to get the vaccine. This program is specifically for Chicago residents who are unable to leave home for medical reasons. Individuals living outside the City of Chicago are not eligible for this program.

Click here to view the eligibility requirements and to access the form that is to be completed so the City can coordinate in-home vaccinations for eligible residents.
Illinois Launches $10 Million Public Awareness Campaign to Encourage Vaccinations in the Hardest-Hit Communities  
As more Illinoisans become eligible for the vaccine and the supply from the federal government continues to grow, Governor JB Pritzker launched a new public awareness campaign directed especially to residents in the hardest-hit communities who are reluctant to take the vaccine. The public awareness campaign features Illinoisans who have been personally impacted by COVID-19 and are sharing their stories and belief in the vaccine. As a part of the administration’s data-driven and equity-centric pandemic response, the campaign follows the CDC’s Vaccinate with Confidence Strategy of aiming to reach “the moveable middle” — residents who want to protect their health but are hesitant about getting vaccines.

Watch the first ads here: 


Click here for the full press release. Additional resources will continue to be updated on coronavirus.illinois.gov.  
CDC Resources on the COVID-19 Vaccine
Click below to access more COVID-19 Resources for:
Featured Resources
Joint Statements from the Public Funders of Home Visiting in Illinois 

To provide some clarification to the field, the major public funders of home visiting have recently issued joint statements on breastfeeding, Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (I/ECMHC), and serving families with child welfare involvement. These joint statements are from the following funders:

  • Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)
  • Illinois Head Start Association (IHSA)
  • Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
  • Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting program (MIECHV)
  • City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (DFSS)

The joint statements can be found in two places:


We encourage home visiting programs to please bookmark these webpages, as additional joint statements will be posted here in the future.
Pilot Evaluation of the Illinois Model of Infant/Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation

Last month, Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago released its study on the Illinois Model of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation. Under the leadership of the Illinois Children's Mental Health Partnership, this model was piloted in three early childhood systems (child care, school-based preschool, and home visiting) in four communities in Illinois. Findings included: the model was implemented with fidelity in all three programs, providers improved their skills, and there were positive classroom and home visiting effects.

In this study, positive effects were found in both classroom and home visiting environments. Parents who participated reported higher satisfaction with their role as parents than those in the comparison group, and providers participating in the intervention reported less stress.

Click here to access the landing page for the Pilot Evaluation. At the bottom of the page, you will see buttons linking to the “Illinois Model Report” and the “Illinois Model Brief”.
Teach Plus Report: Alleviating the Early Childhood Education Teacher Shortage Crisis in Illinois

Teach Plus Illinois has released a report, Alleviating the Early Childhood Education Teacher Shortage Crisis in Illinois: Recommendations From Teach Plus Illinois Early Childhood Education Fellows. This report looks at the barriers early childhood education teaching assistants and paraprofessionals face in becoming early childhood education (ECE) lead teachers. The report offers three findings and four recommendations that key stakeholders across the State can take to alleviate the teacher shortage crisis by empowering the skilled teaching assistants and paraprofessionals already working in ECE classrooms to successfully pursue lead-teacher certification.
NCBDI Policy Guide: Supporting Resilience in Black Families: Advancing Racial Equity in Early Childhood Mental Health Policy

This new policy guide, written by Lee Johnson III, PhD, as the culmination of his National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) Fellowship, explores definitions, data, and policy recommendations related to supporting resilience in Black families through a lens that both acknowledges the developmental threat our society poses to Black children and honors and uplifts the strength and perseverance of Black families.  
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Newly Updated, FREE Application for Teachers, Parents, and Caregivers: CDC’s Milestone Tracker

Early childhood education and care (ECEC) providers know the importance of tracking children’s developmental milestones; now there’s a new version of the FREE app from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help make tracking development easy, fun, and a great way to engage parents and caregivers. CDC’s Milestone Tracker app helps providers, teachers, parents, and caregivers better understand each child’s skills and abilities, track and celebrate developmental milestones, and share developmental progress from ages two months through five years.

The app offers:

  • Parent-friendly, interactive developmental milestone checklists adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics;
  • The ability to complete a checklist using corrected age for children born prematurely;
  • Photos and videos to help parents recognize milestones;
  • Tips and activities for supporting early development and sharing concerns;
  • The option to complete a checklist in English or Spanish;
  • Appointment and developmental screening reminders; and
  • The ability to see a summary of a child’s developmental progress in English or Spanish.

Help parents and caregivers understand, support, and celebrate their child’s developmental milestones and know when to act early if they have concerns. Access a printable poster (8.5” x 11”), a web button for your website, and more at www.cdc.gov/MilestoneTracker.
Child Trends Brief: Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs in Foster Care

In a recently released brief, Child Trends examines the prevalence of children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) in the foster care system. CYSHCN have—or are at increased risk for—chronic physical, developmental, or behavioral/emotional conditions. The brief provides an overview of the literature on CYSHCN and their experiences in the foster care system, a detailed explanation of the methodology used for the current brief, an explanation of findings, and a brief discussion of practice and policy implications.

The findings detail children and youth’s reasons for entering foster care, their experiences while in care, and their reasons for leaving care vary depending on if they have a special health care need.

To read the Child Trends brief, click here.
Annie E. Casey Foundation Report: Funding Prevention in Communities

A new Annie E. Casey Foundation publication provides useful information about financing and sustaining community-based prevention efforts from its Evidence2Success initiative. Funding Prevention in Communities: Lessons from Evidence2Success shares recommendations from several communities across the nation that have been working to use data to understand how children are doing; select proven programs to enhance strengths and address needs; and develop financing and action plans to support the ongoing use of those proven programs.

The report helps readers:

  • Follow a strategic financing process from the beginning of an initiative, including understanding the funding landscape;
  • Set the right priorities and map them to funding streams;
  • Develop and communicate a vision that inspires investment by key funders;
  • Take advantage of existing resources; and
  • Continuously adapt to data and evidence.

Funding Prevention in Communities is particularly relevant to organizations grappling with the effects of the pandemic and looking for ways to maximize resources. Read more about Funding Prevention in Communities here.