Governor JB Pritzker announced eighteen members of the Early Childhood Education and Care Transition Advisory Committee, chaired by Bela Moté. As part of the Pritzker administration's plan to create a new, unified state agency to administer early childhood education and care programs, the strategic-planning group will consist of educators, childcare providers, and policy experts. [Illinois.gov]

"I want to thank this incredible group of parents, educators, leaders and advocates on for their dedication to creating a more cohesive, equitable, and family-centered early childhood education and care system in Illinois," said Governor JB Pritzker. "Their perspectives and feedback are vital as Illinois transitions to a single agency for early childhood education and care, bolstering our support for our youngest residents and their families."

The unified agency will address the obstacles that providers and families experience when navigating various agencies. Currently, services are housed in three separate agencies—the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS), and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). The Transition Advisory Committee will help inform and provide feedback to the State as it prepares for the transition to a new single agency. This work builds on Governor Pritzker's commitment to make Illinois the best state in the nation for families raising young children, with the nation's best early childhood education and care system.

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