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| Public Act 102-0174
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| HB2878 Enrolled | LRB102 16984 CMG 22404 b |
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AN ACT concerning education.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Early |
Childhood Access Consortium for Equity Act.
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Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly makes all of the |
following findings: |
(1) This State faces a shortage of qualified early |
childhood educators, with high vacancy rates in child care |
centers, community-based early childhood programs, and |
school-based classrooms across this State. Like roads and |
bridges, early education and child care is an essential |
part of our infrastructure that enables families to work |
in all other industries. Beyond addressing the current |
need, growing federal and State commitments to expanding |
early childhood services, including the recommendations |
put forth in the Governor's Illinois Commission on |
Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding |
report in March 2021, suggest that this State must be |
prepared to meet the growing demand for a qualified |
workforce to deliver these services in the coming years. |
(2) To meet this growing demand and support this |
critical infrastructure, the Illinois higher education |
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system must support our incumbent early childhood |
workforce through credential and degree attainment. The |
workforce is overwhelmingly made up of women and women of |
color, and many are balancing full-time employment, family |
needs, and other responsibilities. Often, traditional |
bachelor's degree programs are not accessible to |
place-bound, full-time working parents. |
(3) In this State, there is a history of partnership |
among early childhood providers, stakeholders, and higher |
education to identify workforce needs and strategies to |
help promote access to higher education and degree |
completion among the workforce. Illinois institutions of |
higher education have taken steps to demonstrate a |
commitment to the early childhood field, as well as |
underserved student populations. Hybrid program models, |
cohort program models, and scholarships and financial |
incentives for students help to promote access to many |
early childhood degree programs in this State. |
(4) Over the past 2 decades, this State has attempted |
numerous strategies to develop and support partnerships |
among institutions of higher education that are focused on |
this State's early childhood workforce. Through these |
broader initiatives, as well as many individual local |
partnerships, community colleges and public and private |
universities have
worked to implement articulation |
agreements, credit transfer agreements, and program |
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delivery models, although not all partnerships have been |
maintained. Such initiatives include all of the following: |
(A) In 2004, this State developed the Associate of |
Arts in Teaching (AAT) degree model to promote |
articulation among 2-year and 4-year institutions of |
higher education. However, with the challenges in |
credit transfer contributing to the limited viability |
and success of the degree model, the Illinois |
Community College Board stopped approving the AAT |
degree model and has worked across the higher |
education system to discontinue these programs. |
(B) In 2013, this State dedicated federal Race to |
the Top funds to create the Early Childhood Educator |
Preparation Program Innovation (EPPI) Grant program. |
Among other goals, the EPPI Grant program aimed to |
foster the creation or further development of |
partnerships between 2-year and 4-year preparation |
programs at institutions of higher education, promote |
articulation and alignment of the curriculum between |
2-year and 4-year programs, and support early |
childhood educator preparation programs in designing a |
curriculum to incorporate new State standards and |
program requirements. While the EPPI Grant program led |
to some effective partnerships that still remain |
intact today, program evaluations found varying levels |
of partnership and that, in many cases, successful
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agreements were contingent upon individual |
relationships or individual leaders within |
institutions. |
(C) Through the Illinois Articulation Initiative |
(IAI), there are 3 early childhood courses approved |
for articulation among participating institutions. |
More than 100 Illinois colleges and universities |
participate in the IAI, though challenges with |
inconsistent participation and recognition do exist. |
(D) Most recently, the creation of |
competency-based education components for early |
childhood education will help ensure that higher |
education and credential programs are designed to |
prepare early childhood educators to demonstrate the |
same critical core competencies. The emphasis on core |
competencies could improve educator preparedness and |
could ease credit transfer and articulation processes |
moving forward. |
These programs and partnerships continue to benefit |
many early childhood education students across this State, |
but, overall, these efforts have not produced adequate |
early childhood degrees to meet the demands in the field. |
These types of initiatives are highly contingent upon |
relationships and partnerships between specific |
institutions and are often impacted if an institution |
experiences turnover or program changes. Furthermore, |
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these partnerships often do not address the geographic, |
structural, and economic barriers the incumbent workforce |
often faces in accessing bachelor's degree
programs while |
working full-time in the field. These ongoing challenges |
are not new and have been noted in the development of these |
previous efforts. |
(5) As noted in the provisions of Public Act 101-654, |
the General Assembly recognizes the critical role of the |
early childhood workforce and, in response to challenges, |
including staffing shortages and barriers to higher |
education, calls upon the Board of Higher Education to |
better meet the needs of the early childhood workforce. |
(6) The General Assembly encourages this State to |
consider dedicating federal funds for pandemic relief and |
economic recovery efforts to ensure a successful launch of |
the Consortium and the opportunities it creates to meet |
the needs of the early childhood incumbent workforce, |
including student financial support. This State, the |
incumbent workforce, and the children in care will benefit |
as workers enroll, persist, and complete credential and |
degree programs.
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Section 10. Definitions. In this Act: |
"Community college" means a public community college that |
is included in the definition of "Community Colleges" under |
Section 1-2 of the Public Community College Act. |
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"Consortium" means the Early Childhood Access Consortium |
for Equity. |
"Credit for prior learning" means the evaluation and |
assessment of a student's life learning through employment, |
training, and experiences outside an academic environment from |
which skills that comprise terminal objectives are mastered to |
an acceptable degree of proficiency for college credit, |
certification, or advanced standing toward further education |
or training. |
"Home institution" means the community college or |
university at which the student has been admitted.
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"Incumbent workforce" means an individual or a group of |
individuals working or having worked in the early childhood |
industry, including family child care and center-based care |
settings, Preschool for All school-based settings, and Head |
Start, that serves children from birth to age 5 and includes |
teachers, assistant teachers, directors, family child care |
providers, and assistants. |
"Member institutions" means the institutions of higher |
education participating in the Consortium. |
"Public university" means the University of Illinois, |
Southern Illinois University, Chicago State University, |
Eastern Illinois University, Governors State University, |
Illinois State University, Northeastern Illinois University, |
Northern Illinois University, Western Illinois University, or |
any other public university or college, other than a community |
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college, now or hereafter established or authorized by the |
General Assembly.
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Section 15. Creation of Consortium; purpose; |
administrative support. |
(a) The Board of Higher Education and the Illinois |
Community College Board shall create and establish the Early |
Childhood Access Consortium for Equity. |
(b) The purpose of the Consortium is to serve the needs of |
the incumbent early childhood workforce and the employers of |
early childhood educators and to advance racial equity while |
meeting the needs of employers by streamlining, coordinating, |
and
improving the accessibility of degree completion pathways |
for
upskilling and the sustained expansion of educational |
pipelines at
Illinois institutions of higher education. |
(c) The Board of Higher Education and the Illinois |
Community College Board shall convene the member institutions |
by July 1, 2021 or within 60 days after the effective date of |
this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. The Board |
of Higher Education and the Illinois Community College Board |
shall provide administrative support for the start up and |
operation of the Consortium until a permanent governance |
structure is developed and implemented. The Board of Higher |
Education and the Illinois Community College Board shall work |
with member institutions to establish geographic regional |
hubs, including public universities and the proximate |
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community colleges responsible for serving each regional hub.
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Section 20. Membership; functions. |
(a) Membership in the Consortium shall include all public |
universities and community colleges in this State that offer |
early childhood programs. Membership by private, |
not-for-profit universities is optional and conditional on the |
acceptance of the terms adopted by the public members, the |
related administrative rules, and the provisions of this Act. |
For-profit institutions of higher education are not eligible |
for membership in the Consortium. Participating institutions |
must be accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and |
entitled to offer Gateways Credentials. |
(b) The members of the Consortium shall operate jointly |
and in cooperation through regional hubs to provide |
streamlined paths for students to attain associate degrees, |
bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, certificates, and |
Gateways Credentials and other licensure endorsements in early |
childhood education. The priority shall be to focus on the |
incumbent workforce, which includes working adults who require |
programs of study that offer flexibility in the times courses |
are offered, location, and format. The Consortium shall |
cooperate in all of the following: |
(1) Providing course offerings within each regional |
hub in online, hybrid, and in-person formats that are |
available to any student enrolled in a member institution |
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in that hub for occasions in which a particular course is |
not available at the student's home institution. In this |
paragraph (1), "not available" may mean the course is not |
offered during a term, at a time, or in a format that works |
best for the student. Courses taken at any member |
institution shall be accepted toward the student's degree |
at any other member institution. Course offerings across |
regional hubs may also be provided by an agreement between |
Consortium members. All course registration shall take |
place in consultation with a student's academic advisor. |
(2) Shared responsibilities through the Consortium and |
within and across regional hubs to expand access for |
students. |
(3) Transfers in accordance with Section 130-10 of the |
Transitions in Education Act. |
(4) The development of standardized methods for |
awarding credit for prior learning. |
(5) The support necessary for student access, |
persistence, and completion shall be provided by the home |
institution, unless otherwise provided by agreement |
between Consortium members. |
(6) Admissions, financial arrangements, registration, |
and advising services shall be functions of the home |
institution but shall be honored across the Consortium. |
(7) Member institutions working with their regional |
pre-kindergarten through 12th grade and early childhood |
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employer partners to determine demand throughout the |
region. |
(8) Data-sharing agreements. |
(9) An agreement that students enrolled in associate |
degree programs are encouraged to complete the associate |
degree program prior to transferring to a bachelor's |
degree program. |
(10) Development of other shared agreements and terms |
necessary to implement the Consortium and its |
responsibilities. |
By January 31, 2022, the Consortium shall decide how to |
assign college credit for the incumbent workers who have a |
Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and for future |
workers obtaining a CDA. |
(c) The Consortium may facilitate or implement the |
following if deemed beneficial and feasible: |
(1) the creation of an open education resource |
library; |
(2) support and training for program coaches and |
cross-institutional navigators; and |
(3) support for the development, implementation, and |
participation in a statewide registry system through the |
Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral |
Agencies (INCCRRA) to provide tracking and data |
capabilities for students across the system as they attain |
competency through coursework.
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Section 25. Advisory committee; membership. |
(a) The Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community |
College Board, the State Board of Education, the Department of |
Human Services, and the Governor's Office of Early Childhood |
Development shall jointly convene a Consortium advisory |
committee to provide guidance on the operation of the |
Consortium. |
(b) Membership on the advisory committee shall be |
comprised of employers and experts appointed by the Board of |
Higher Education, the Illinois Community College Board, the |
Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development, and the |
State Board of Education. Membership shall also include all of |
the following members: |
(1) An employer from a community-based child care |
provider, appointed by the Governor's Office of Early |
Childhood Development. |
(2) An employer from a for-profit child care provider, |
appointed by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood |
Development. |
(3) An employer from a nonprofit child care provider, |
appointed by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood |
Development. |
(4) A provider of family child care, appointed by the |
Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. |
(5) An employer located in southern Illinois, |
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appointed by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood |
Development. |
(6) An employer located in central Illinois, appointed |
by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. |
(7) At least one member who represents an urban school |
district, appointed by the State Board of Education. |
(8) At least one member who represents a suburban |
school district, appointed by the State Board of |
Education. |
(9) At least one member who represents a rural school |
district, appointed by the State Board of Education. |
(10) At least one member who represents a school |
district in a city with a population of 500,000 or more, |
appointed by the State Board of Education. |
(11) Two early childhood advocates with statewide |
expertise in early childhood workforce issues, appointed |
by the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. |
(12) The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson and the |
Minority Spokesperson or a designee of the Senate |
Committee on Higher Education. |
(13) The Chairperson or Vice-Chairperson and the |
Minority Spokesperson or a designee of the House Committee |
on Higher Education. |
(14) One member representing the Illinois Community |
College Board, who shall serve as co-chairperson, |
appointed by the Illinois Community College Board. |
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(15) One member representing the Board of Higher |
Education, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by |
the Board of Higher Education. |
(16) One member representing the Illinois Student |
Assistance Commission, appointed by the Board of Higher |
Education. |
(17) One member representing the State Board of |
Education, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by |
the State Board of Education. |
(18) One member representing the Governor's Office of |
Early Childhood Development, who shall serve as |
co-chairperson, appointed by the Governor's Office of |
Early Childhood Development. |
(19) One member representing the Department of Human |
Services, who shall serve as co-chairperson, appointed by |
the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. |
(20) One member representing INCCRRA, appointed by the |
Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. |
(21) One member representing the Department of |
Children and Family Services, appointed by the Governor's |
Office of
Early Childhood Development. |
(22) One member representing an organization that |
advocates on behalf of community college trustees, |
appointed by the Illinois Community College Board. |
(23) One member of a union representing child care and |
early childhood providers, appointed by the Governor's |
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Office of Early Childhood Development. |
(24) Two members of unions representing higher |
education faculty, appointed by the Board of Higher |
Education. |
(25) A representative from the College of Education of |
an urban public university, appointed by the Board of |
Higher Education. |
(26) A representative from the College of Education of |
a suburban public university, appointed by the Board of |
Higher Education. |
(27) A representative from the College of Education of |
a rural public university, appointed by the Board of |
Higher Education. |
(28) A representative from the College of Education of |
a private university, appointed by the Board of Higher |
Education. |
(29) A representative of an urban community college, |
appointed by the Illinois Community College Board. |
(30) A representative of a suburban community college, |
appointed by the Illinois Community College Board. |
(31) A representative of rural community college, |
appointed by the Illinois Community College Board. |
(c) The advisory committee shall meet quarterly. The |
committee meetings shall be open to the public in accordance |
with the provisions of the Open Meetings Act.
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Section 30. Reporting. The Consortium shall report to the |
General Assembly, to the Senate and House Committees with |
oversight over higher education, to the Governor, and to the |
advisory committee on the progress made by the Consortium. A |
report must include, but is not limited to, all of the |
following information: |
(1) Student enrollment numbers for the fall and spring |
terms or semesters, retention rates, persistence in |
relevant associate, baccalaureate, and credential |
programs, including demographic data that is disaggregated |
by race, ethnicity, and federal Pell Grant status, |
reported twice per year. Completion numbers and rates, |
employer type, and years worked shall be reported |
annually. |
(2) Tuition rates charged and net prices paid, |
reported both as including and excluding student loans, by |
enrolled members of the incumbent workforce, reported |
annually. |
(3) Outreach plans to recruit and enroll incumbent |
workforce members, reported twice per year. |
(4) Participation of the incumbent workforce in |
outreach programs, which may include participation in an |
informational session, social media engagement, or other |
activities, reported twice per year. |
(5) Student academic and holistic support plans to |
help the enrolled incumbent workforce persist in their |
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education, reported annually. |
(6) Evidence of engagement and responsiveness to the |
needs of employer partners, reported annually. |
(7) The Consortium budget including the use of federal |
funds, reported annually. |
(8) Member contributions, including financial, |
physical, or in-kind contributions, provided to the |
Consortium, reported annually.
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Section 35. Goals and metrics. |
(a) By July 1, 2021 or within 60 days after the effective |
date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the |
Board of Higher Education's Strategic Plan Educator Workforce |
subgroup on the early childhood workforce must set goals for |
the Consortium for the enrollment, persistence, and completion |
of members of the incumbent workforce in associate, |
bachelor's, and master's degree programs, Gateways Credentials |
in Level 2, 3, or 4, and Professional Educator Licensure by |
September 30, 2024. The goals set for the Consortium must be |
data informed and include targets for annual enrollment and |
persistence. |
(b) Data from the Gateways Registry, March 2020, indicates |
that there are 7,670 individuals with an associate degree who |
would benefit from progressing to a baccalaureate degree and |
20,467 individuals with a high school diploma or some college |
who would benefit from progressing to an associate degree. If |
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the goals cannot be set in accordance with subsection (a), the |
goal for the Consortium shall be that by September 30, 2024, |
20% of the individuals described in this subsection (b) who do |
not have a degree will have enrolled and be persisting toward |
or have attained a Gateways Credential in Level 2, 3, or 4 or |
an associate degree and, of the individuals who have an |
associate degree, will be enrolled and persisting toward or |
have attained a baccalaureate degree or will be persisting |
toward or have attained a Professional Educator License. |
(c) Student financial aid, including incentives and |
stipends, data-sharing, and professional statewide engagement |
and marketing campaign and recruitment efforts are critical to |
the Consortium's ability to quickly attract and enroll |
students into these programs. Navigators, mentors, and |
advisors are critical for persistence and completion. If |
federal funds are not appropriated for these purposes and the |
other purposes of this Section, the Board of Higher Education, |
the Illinois Community College Board, the State Board of |
Education, the Department of Human Services, and the |
Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development, in |
consultation with the advisory committee, shall adjust the |
initial target metrics appropriately by adopting challenging |
goals that may be attainable with less public investment. |
(d) The Board of Higher Education, the Illinois Community |
College Board, the State Board of Education, the Department of |
Human Services, and the Governor's Office of Early Childhood |
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Development, in consultation with the advisory committee, |
shall determine new metrics and goals for the Consortium as |
they relate to the remaining and future early childhood |
workforce, to be instituted after the close of the 2024-2025 |
academic year and going forward. Metrics must take into |
consideration that the pipeline depends on sustained, |
increased student enrollment and completion rates at the |
associate degree level if this State aims to continue with |
sustained, increased student enrollment and completion at the |
bachelor's degree level.
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Section 40. Affordability. The institutions participating |
in the Consortium and the advisory committee shall work to |
ensure that students have the most affordable options for |
advancing through and attaining their degree or credentials.
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Section 90. Rules. The Board of Higher Education and the |
Illinois Community College Board may adopt any rules necessary |
to administer and implement this Act.
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Section 500. The Transitions in Education Act is amended |
by adding Section 130-10 as follows:
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(110 ILCS 180/130-10 new) |
Sec. 130-10. Gateway Credentials; associate degree. |
(a) A community college student who earns the Department |
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of Human Services's Gateways ECE Credential Level 4 as part of |
an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in early |
childhood education that is consistent with the degree |
requirements established by the Illinois Community College |
Board and the Board of Higher Education, as appropriate, is |
deemed eligible for transfer into an early childhood education |
baccalaureate program at a public university if the student |
meets all of the requirements of the AAS degree program, is |
transferring from a program entitled to offer the Gateways ECE |
Credential Level 4, and earns a minimum grade point average of |
a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. |
(b) Recognizing that the AAS degree and other associate |
degrees provide important pathways into the early childhood |
education profession and notwithstanding any other provision |
of law to the contrary, a public university shall grant junior |
level status in an early childhood education program to any |
community college student who has graduated from an Illinois |
community college with an Associate of Applied Science degree |
in early childhood education. A public university may not |
require students transferring pursuant to this Section to |
repeat courses taken and completed successfully at the |
community college and applied toward the associate degree |
granted pursuant to subsection (a) of this Section. All |
courses completed successfully in the AAS degree program must |
count toward baccalaureate degree completion. Students |
entering with an AAS may not be required to take a total number |
