State Profile | Illinois

The Afterschool Investments project has developed profiles for each state to provide a snapshot of the "state of afterschool," as well as an opportunity to compare afterschool activities across the country. This profile provides key data and descriptions of the afterschool landscape, which includes a range of out-of-school time programming that can occur before and after school, on weekends, and during summer months. It is designed to serve as a resource for policymakers, administrators, and providers.

• Quick Facts
• Statewide Initiatives
• Notable Local Initiatives
• Statewide Organizations
• Additional Resources
• Notes and Sources

Quick Facts

Demographics

For more demographic information, visit http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/statepro/index.html

Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF)

CCDF Administrative Overview

Settings

Where CCDF-Subsidy school age-children are served:

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool

"Resource and referral and school-age" targeted funds:
Funds may be used for two non-profit initiatives, Making the Most of Out of School Time (MOST) and the Illinois AfterSchool Network (IAN) to support school age child care activities for child care providers, families and communities.  This includes expanding school-age care and improving its quality through consumer education and technical assistance to parents, providers and communities. Funds may also be used for equipment/facility improvement grants.

Other quality activities:
Funds may be used for comprehensive consumer education and grants or loans to providers to assist in meeting state and local standards. They can also be used for professional development, improving childcare providers’ salaries, activities promoting inclusive childcare, activities which increase parental choice, and for youth focused health programs.

Provider Reimbursement Rates

Tiered Reimbursement Rate System:
The state will implement a voluntary quality rating and tiered reimbursement system in 2008. Eligible child care programs will be licensed and licensed exempt family child care homes that receive reimbursement from the subsidy program.  The system will be multi-tiered and providers will need to demonstrate or meet specific indicators of quality at one of the progressive levels.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

Program Licensing Policies

Exemptions apply to programs operated by a unit of local, state or federal government.

Systems/Quality Supports

21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC)

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Statewide Initiatives

• After-school Funding Policy Task Force. In 2007, the Illinois General Assembly established, through House Resolution 384, an After-School Funding Policy Task Force. The Task Force was charged to develop policy recommendations for the afterschool, mentoring, and student support line item in the State Board of Education's budget and to ensure adequate support for the administering agency to fund program monitoring, data collection, and accountability. The Illinois After-School Funding Policy Task Force was convened in February 2008 by the Illinois After-School Partnership and issued its report in August of 2008.  The Task Force recommended that children, youth and families would be best served in the future by an expanded, permanent line item for afterschool program funding to address the unmet need for afterschool services and to develop a stable, coordinated funding system for all afterschool programs.  In the short term, the recommendations that were developed provide a structure of support, sustainability and accountability for afterschool programs supported with funding in the current system.  These recommendations provide a framework for quality and accountability that can be used across funding streams.
  
  Recommendations were made in the following areas:

  •  Structure of Programming
  • Outcomes
  • Qualifying Services
  • Administration of Funds
  • Staff and volunteer qualifications
  • Accountability
  • Funding
  • Rulemaking

  For more information on the After-school Funding Policy Task Force, contact Jennifer Becker Mouhcine at 312-986-9200 ext. 225 or jbeckermouhcine@icvp.org.

• Legislative Initiative. In 2001, a task force mandated by the state legislature and co-chaired by the Superintendent of Education and Secretary of Human Services was charged with conducting an assessment of afterschool services in Illinois, including identification of the number of children and youth served in afterschool programs in the state; the number and location of children and youth who need but are not served by afterschool programs; and the various funding streams that currently support afterschool programs. The task force presented a comprehensive and strategic plan to the legislature in November 2002.

  Highlighted recommendations included:

  • Create a comprehensive system of out-of-school time services across the state.
  • Develop common procedures among state agencies with a focus on youth for training, credentialing, meeting fiscal and programmatic reporting requirements, and evaluating programs.
  • Build a system to disseminate information on best practices and outcome measures, link programs, and increase community capacity to provide needs assessment, training, service delivery, and evaluation.
  • Expand public funding, coordinate state and federal funding, develop strategies to increase private, local, and foundation support.
  • Require publicly funded programs to meet outcomes that support the stated goals for programs.

  Read the Illinois After-school Task Force report at http://www.illinoisafterschool.net/taskforce.asp.

• Illinois Afterschool Partnership. In 2003, the Mott Foundation awarded a grant to the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention to establish and sustain a statewide network to support afterschool programs in Illinois. Co-chaired by the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois After-School Partnership is a statewide coalition of public and private entities with a vested interest in afterschool. The Partnership is working to implement the recommendations of the Illinois Afterschool Initiative Task Force. Workgroups have been established for professional development, policy, inter-agency collaboration, and outcome and evaluation. These workgroups have gathered data and are developing tools to enhance the professional development system in Illinois, to build the capacity of programs to measure their outcomes, to increase coordination across state agencies, and to document the need for increased funding for afterschool.

  For more information, see www.illinoisafterschool.net.

• Teen REACH. The Department of Human Services administers and funds the Teen REACH program at $19 million annually. Teen REACH provides structured activities for teens during non-school hours to prevent their involvement in gangs, alcohol and drug use, sexual activity, teen pregnancy, and other problems. The program was originally funded with federal TANF funds and is currently operating with state general funds. Teen REACH targets youth ages 6 to 17 that live in Illinois’ most needy communities and come from families receiving public assistance.

  For more information, see http://www.cprd.uiuc.edu/teenreach/

• Bridges for Learning. The Illinois State Board of Education administers the Summer Bridges program, an extended learning program designed to improve the reading, writing, and mathematics skills of students from pre-kindergarten through grade 6 in districts where a significant number of students do not meet state learning standards. The bulk of the program’s funding, $26 million, is from state funds, and the remainder, $6 million, is federal funding. Districts provide a local contribution and agree to integrate the summer bridges literacy framework into the regular school year.

  For more information, see http://www.isbe.state.il.us/sos/htmls/summerbridges.htm

• School Age and Youth Provider Credential. In partnership with the Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, the statewide afterschool network is convening stakeholders from around the state to aid in the development of a voluntary School Age and Youth credential. The Illinois School-Age and Youth committee (I-SAY) has identified the core values for school-age and youth development practitioners and is creating a draft of the core content areas. The credential development is focused on five elements of comprehensive provider supports. Those elements include Quality Assurance, Access and Outreach, Core Knowledge, Qualifications and Credentials, and Funding. This project is supported in part by the Illinois Department of Human Services, Bureau of Child Care and Development.  

  I-SAY has also completed its first year as part of a national group of select sites reviewing the development of career pathways for youth workers. Illinois was one of eight sites selected to participate in the Career Pathways Project through the National Collaboration for Youth and the National Institute on Out-of-School-Time.
  
  For more information, see http://www.ilgateways.com/isay_credential.aspx

• School's Out: After-School Programs and Policies that Work. In February 2007, the University of Illinois’s Institute of Government and Public Affairs conducted a legislative briefing on afterschool issues. The three speakers for the event presented information on how successful afterschool programs achieve their goals, where Illinois ranks relative to other states on funding, innovative approaches other states are taking to design and fund their afterschool programs, and how program quality can be assessed for program self-improvement and for accountability.

  For more information, please see http://www.igpa.uillinois.edu/system/files/2007IntroductionBriefingAgenda.pdf

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Notable Local Initiatives

In Chicago, approximately 400,000 youth participate in out-of-school time activities administered by several city departments, ranging from the Chicago Park District to the Chicago Department of Human Services. The city is also spearheading an effort to improve the quality of activities for youth and track the programs available in the city’s neighborhoods.

• The Wallace Foundation awarded an infrastructure building grant to Chicago. Received and lauded by the mayor, the three year grant of $8 million will be used to fund a support, tracking, and evaluation system for Chicago’s continuing programs oriented towards teenagers.

• In 2000, Chicago’s First Lady brought together representatives from the Chicago Public Schools, the Park District, and the Public Library to create After School Matters, a network of afterschool activities that offers paid "apprenticeships" in such fields as sports, arts, and communication. The apprenticeships often lead to regular or part-time summer jobs. A related program, also sponsored by the three city bureaucracies, provides open recreation with adult supervision.

• The Northern Illinois Collaboration, a group of large employers based in northern Cook County and Lake County have pooled their resources to expand the child care and out-of-school-time opportunities available to their employees. The employers involved in the collaboration include Hewitt Associates, Baxter, Allstate, Discover Financial Services, Kraft, and Abbott Laboratories. Members of this group have supported programs run by the YMCA of Lake County, including professional development for in-home child care providers and a 10-week summer program for early adolescents.

• The Lake County Afterschool Coalition is a coalition of community leaders dedicated to increasing access to quality afterschool and youth development programs based on each community’s needs and resources.  Members of the Coalition include elected officials, police chiefs, park district directors, community organizations, and educators. The Coalition is working to draw awareness to the need for programs, improve coordination and efficient use of existing resources, and promote programs to fill gaps where needs are not being met. This effort has been spearheaded by a state Representative and Chief of Police, and its initial development was supported by staff from Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Illinoisand the Illinois Afterschool Alliance at the Illinois Center for Violence Prevention.

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Statewide Organizations

National AfterSchool Association Affiliate:

Illinois Afterschool Network.
207 West Jefferson St., Suite 503
Bloomington, IL 61701
Phone: 309-829-5327
Web: http://www.ianetwork.org

Statewide Child Care Resource & Referral Network:

INCCRRA, Illinois Network of Child Care Resource & Referral Agencies
1226 Towanda Plaza
Bloomington, IL 61701-3424
Phone: 309-829-5327
Toll Free: 800-649-1884
Fax: 309-828-1808
Web: http://www.inccrra.org/

Statewide Afterschool Network:

Illinois After-school Partnership
220 South State St., Suite 1215
Chicago, IL  60604
Phone: 312-986-9200
Web: http://www.illinoisafterschool.net

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Additional Resources

State Child Care Administrators:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/statedata/dirs/display.cfm?title=ccdf

State TANF Contacts:
http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/states/tanf-dr.htm

21st Century Community Learning Centers Contacts:
http://www.ed.gov/programs/21stcclc/contacts.html

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Notes and Sources

Demographics

Total population, 2008: Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2008, U.S. Census Bureau.

Number of children ages 5-12, 2008: Estimates of the Resident Population by Single-Year of Age and Sex for the United States and States: July 1, 2007, U.S. Census Bureau.

Percent of students eligible for free and reduced-price lunch rate, 2006: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Note: Most recent data.

Percent of K-12 students in Title I "schoolwide" schools, 2006: Numbers and Types of Public Elementary and Secondary Schools from the Common Core of Data: School Year 2005-06. U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Schools enrolling at least 40 percent of students from poor families are eligible to use Title I funds for schoolwide programs that serve all children in the school. Note: Most recent data.

Child Care and Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) is the largest federal funding source for child care. States receive a funding allocation determined by formula and have broad flexibility to design programs that provide child care subsidies for low-income children under the age of 13 and to enhance the quality of child care for all children. Federal CCDF funding consists of mandatory, matching, and discretionary funds. Federal law requires that states spend at least 4 percent of their CCDF funds as well as additional targeted funds on activities to improve the quality and availability of child care. CCDF administrative data in this and the following sections is from the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Child Care Bureau, as reported by States, unless otherwise noted.

FFY09 CCDF Allocation: Funding allocations are based on appropriation and do not reflect any reallotted or redistributed funds that may occur at a later date.

FFY09 state MOE plus match: In order to receive Federal matching funds, a state must expend Maintenance of Effort funds. Note that this does not capture actual expenditures, only the minimum required to draw down all available federal funds.

FFY09 Tribal CCDF Allocation: Federal CCDF Funds are awarded directly to Federally-recognized Indian Tribes.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funding: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) appropriates an additional $2 billion in one-time CCDF Discretionary funding available to State, Territory and Tribal Lead Agencies in FY09 as part of the economic stimulus package.

FFY07 total quality expenditures: This data includes FY07 and prior year funds expended for quality from each of the CCDF funding streams (mandatory, matching, and discretionary) and expenditures under targeted funds for infant and toddler, school-age care and resource and referral. This figure provides information obtained from state financial reports submitted for FY07.

Uses of CCDF Targeted Funds and Quality Dollars for Afterschool: Portions of CCDF discretionary funds are targeted specifically for resource and referral and school-age child care activities as well as for quality expansion. (These funds are in addition to the required 4 percent minimum quality expenditure.)

Maximum rate for school-age category: Rates are listed for center-based care, family child care, and license exempt programs; where rates vary by region or county, the rate for the most populated urban area is given.

Standardized monthly school-age rate: Monthly rate for a child, age 8, in care after school during the school year at a center in the most costly district for four hours per day, 20 days per month. Calculated (in the lowest tier of a tiered system) using information from the FY2008-2009 State CCDF Plan, including rate structures, as submitted to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families.

Separate subsidy rates for different age ranges and Tiered Reimbursement Rate Systems: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Child Care Bureau. Report of State Plans FY2008-2009.

Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and Child Care

In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY07 that were awarded in FY07 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, available at: In addition to spending TANF funds directly on child care, a state may transfer up to 30 percent of its TANF grant to CCDF. Expenditures represent TANF funds spent in FY07 that were awarded in FY07 and prior years. Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, available at: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofs/data/2007/tanf_2007.html.

Program Licensing Policies

States with separate school-age licensing standards and states with specialized requirements for child care centers serving school-age children: National Child Care Information and Technical Assistance Center (NCCIC) and National Association for Regulatory Administration, 2007 Child Care Licensing Study, see: http://www.naralicensing.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=160.

Ratio of children to adults in school-age setting: Data from the National Child Care Information Center (NCCIC), available at: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov.

School-based, school-age programs exempt from licensing: Research conducted by Afterschool Investments, March 2008.

Systems/Quality Supports

School-age credential: NCCIC, State Professional Development System Credentials for Individuals, see: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/poptopics/pd-credentials.html.

Statewide quality rating system: NCCIC, Quality Rating Systems: Definitions and Statewide Systems, see: http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/pubs/qrs-defsystems.html.

Statewide afterschool network: National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks, see: http://www.statewideafterschoolnetworks.net/.

21st Century Community Learning Centers

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program is a state formula grant. Funds flow to states based on their share of Title I, Part A funds. Data from the U.S. Department of Education 21st Century Community Learning Centers Office and the 21st CCLC Profile and Performance Information Collection System as of July 2009.

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The Child Care Bureau awarded a technical assistance contract to The Finance Project for the Afterschool Investments project. The goals of the Afterschool Investments project include:

• Identifying ways that state and communities are using Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) subsidy and quality dollars to support out-of-school time programs, and sharing these practices and approaches with other states;
• Identifying administrative and implementation issues related to CCDF investments in out-of-school time programs, and providing information and context (about barriers, problems, opportunities) as well as practical tools that will help CCDF administrators make decisions; and
• Identifying other major programs and sectors that are potential partners for CCDF in supporting out-of-school time programs and providing models, strategies, and tools for coordination with other programs and sectors.

Contact Us:

Email:
afterschool@financeproject.org

Web:
http://nccic.acf.hhs.gov/afterschool/

The Finance Project
1401 New York Avenue, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-587-1000
Web: www.financeproject.org

The Afterschool Investments project's State Profiles are designed to provide a comprehensive overview of noteworthy State and local initiatives across the country. Inclusion of an initiative in the Profiles does not represent an endorsement of a particular policy or practice.