State Senator Don DeWitte (R-St. Charles) has been appointed to serve as a member of the newly formed Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding.
The 29-member Commission, which was announced on Monday, seeks to improve access to quality early childhood programs for all Illinois families. The Commission is tasked with taking a look at the state’s entire early childhood education and care system to develop funding goals and mechanisms to ensure access to high-quality early childhood education and care for all Illinois children up to five years old.
Appointed by Governor J.B. Pritzker, Sen. DeWitte said he looks forward to serving on the Commission and hopes he can play an active role in ensuring Illinois’ youngest children are getting the education and care they deserve.
“In 2018, only 18 percent of low-income children and 25 percent of all children in Illinois demonstrated kindergarten readiness in reading, writing, and arithmetic,” said Sen. DeWitte. “That statistic is unacceptable. Every child in our state deserves access to high-quality early education services regardless of income or where they live.”
The Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding is comprised of one member from each legislative caucus along with several child care providers, advocates, and educators from around the state.
The Commission is expected to deliver its final recommendations to the Governor by January 2021.