Legislative Update

By Betsy D. Mitchell
Legislative Consultant
March 4, 2010

As this is being written, the legislature is busy every week in session in Springfield. Thousands of bills have been introduced. Below please find a highlight of some of the bill introduced that affects Illinois AEYC. For each bill, the sponsor is noted along with where they are from and which party they are associated with. Please use this document when talking to your legislators. To read the entire bill, go to: http://www.ilga.gov

HB5322 (Currie, D/Chicago) and SB 2594 (Lightford,D/Chicago) – Removes the sunset language for the grants for the for preschool for all educational program so that this program may continue to be funded as funds are available. If signed into law,the bill becomes effective immediately. Illinois AEYC supports this legislation.

SB2820(Altoff, R/Crystal Lake) – creates a fee on the issue and renewal of licenses to all child care facilities. Fees would be due at the time of application. Illinois AEYC strongly opposes this legislation and at this time we are working with the sponsor and other organizations (AFC, Voices, Ounce) on finding a compromise. This legislation was introduced in part from suggestions from DCFS and parents of a child beaten todeath at a child care facility in Lincolnshire, Illinois.

SB3507(Jones, D/Chicago) –Requires the Illinois Early Learning Council to make recommendations for the early childhood block grant appropriation needed to make available high-quality early childhood and family education programs and services to all eligible children. Requires the State Board of Education to provide such data to the Council as is reasonably required for the proper performance by the Council of its responsibilities. Provides that the Council shall make its recommendation to the General Assembly on or before January 1 of each odd-numbered year, beginning on or before January 1, 2011. Illinois AEYC is closely monitoring this legislation.

SB3460 (Harman, D/Oak Park) – This bill provides that a public school district must provide local matching funds in an amount equal to 10% of the early childhood construction grant (rather than the amount of the grant). Provides that the Capital Development Board may adopt rules that include requirements that new or improved facilities be used for early childhood and other related programs for a period of at least 10 years. Effective July 1, 2010. Illinois AEYC supports this legislation.

SB3472(Hutchenson, D/Chicago) – Changes the conditions under which a pupil may self-administer his or her medication or epinephrine auto-injector. Provides that accommodations as provided in specified provisions shall be included in a pupil's Individualized Education Plan or Section 504 Plan under the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973, whichever applies. This bill was presented in the Senate Education Committee. There was strong opposition from school nurses. The bill was sent to the Subcommittee on School Mandates for further consideration at a later date. Illinois AEYC is monitoring this legislation.

SB3477(John O. Jones, R/Mt.Vernon) – Amends the Illinois Public Aid Code to provide that as a condition of initial eligibility for any benefits (including childcare), an applicant must pass a urine drug test every 12 months, at a random time designated by the Department of Human Services or the Department of Health care and Family Services. If a recipient tests positive, the recipient is thereafter ineligible for child care services for their children. They can be re-tested after six months and be reinstated for benefits. Illinois AEYC opposes this legislation.

Who do you know? Let us know who you know in state government.
If you know your legislators or are willing to get to know them, please let us know. If you are willing to get to know your legislator, we can help. Contact Tonya, Director of Programs, 800.773.0369 [toll free] and/or tonya@illinoisaeyc.org or Betsy at betsy@cook-witter.com

If you are unsure who your legislators are contact us or go to the Illinois State Board of Elections web site: http://www.elections.il.gov/. Click here to go to the site: Findingdistricts and elected officials.

Become your legislators expert on early learning and child care issues. Invite legislators to visit your center or office so they can see what you do... Let them see firsthand the vital service you provide to your community and how there is a critical need to continue to help all children and their families.

Luncheon & Symposium benefiting Illinois AEYC at Joliet Area AEYC's 14th Annual "Limit Is the Sky!" Child Care Conference

"Those A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Young Children with Diverse Learning Needs" with Mary Wonderlick

• Those A-M-A-Z-I-N-G Young Children with a Learning Disability
• Children Labeled Difficult are Actually A-M-A-Z-I-N-G: Let’s Work on Changing Difficult to
  EASY, or almost Easy
• Working with Difficult Children: Changing Difficult to EASY, or almost Easy
• Understanding a Child’s Learning Style

Those who work with and/or live with children with diverse learning and behavior needs are too
often puzzled and exasperated. (Often it is assumed to be a learning disability.)  This session will
help you identify with and understand those very different children in your classroom.  Explore a
variety of strategies and techniques to use in the classroom and other settings with children
who have diverse learning needs.
To get to EASY, we’ll talk about:

• Difficult defined.
• Difficult classified / categorized.
• Difficult solutions. Difficult strategies.
• Difficult interventions.

SAVE THE DATE!

Illinois AEYC Growing Futures Conference 2010

September 30 - October 2nd

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Springfield

http://illinoisaeyc.org/conferences

Conference Flyer

Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D. Promoted to NAEYC Executive Director Designate

The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is pleased to
announce the promotion of Jerlean Daniel, Ph.D. to become Executive Director
Designate of the Association. Daniel will replace outgoing Executive Director, Mark R.
Ginsberg, Ph.D. on July 1, 2010. NAEYC President, Sue Russell made the
announcement on behalf of the NAEYC Governing Board.

NAEYC welcomes Dr. Jerlean Daniel as the next Executive Director of the Association.
Currently, Dr. Daniel serves as a Deputy Executive Director of the Association and is
also a distinguished elected past-president. Daniel has been an active NAEYC member
and Association leader for more than 30 years. She has been a staff member for five
years, joining NAEYC after a 21 year career at the University of Pittsburgh where she
served as a child care center director as well as a faculty member. Immediately prior to
joining the national staff in 2005, she was Chair of the Department of Psychology in
Education in the School of Education. “I am thrilled that Jerlean has accepted the
position to become the next Executive Director of NAEYC. She is one of the most
respected members of the Association and is experienced as a member of the
Association’s executive team”, commented President Russell. “Her appointment,
together with a six month period prior to Mark’s departure, will facilitate a seamless
transition in the executive leadership and management of the Association” Russell also
remarked.

Dr. Ginsberg will leave his position as the Association’s Executive Director on June 30 to
become Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason
University. He has served as NAEYC Executive Director since January 1999. Under his
leadership, among other accomplishments, the Association has nearly doubled in budget
and in the size of the national staff; enhanced its capacity and influence as a policy
advocate; significantly grown its professional development and publications portfolio;
successfully reinvented the National Academy for Early Childhood Program
Accreditation and strengthened its higher education accreditation activities including
developing an accreditation system for associate degree granting programs in early
childhood education; and acquired a new headquarters facility. NAEYC President, Sue
Russell commented, “Mark is an outstanding leader who led and managed NAEYC
during a critical period. The entire field of early childhood education respects his abilities
and thanks him for his stewardship of the association. We are very excited for him as he
returns to higher education as the Dean at George Mason. Our loss will certainly be a
gain for the University.”

NAEYC thanks Mark for his many efforts on behalf of the Association and the field of
early childhood education, and looks forward to Jerlean’s tenure and the inspired
leadership and vision for the future of NAEYC that she will bring to her new position.
Founded in 1926, the National Association for the Education of Young Children has
nearly 90,000 members worldwide. The association is the largest and most influential
voice for early childhood education professionals and the field of early childhood
education in the United States.

For more information, contact:
Kristina Gawrgy
NAEYC Communications Coordinator
Office: 202-350-8857
Mobile: 202-427-4734
kgawrgy@naeyc.org

For Immediate Release:
January 14, 2010

The results of the recent election of officers to the governing board of Illinois AEYC are in!

Congratulations and Welcome to the following board officers!

• President Elect:  Laurie Rhodes
• Secretary:  Barbara Warmoth
• Southern Region VP:  Terry White
• NAEYC Affiliate Council Representative:  Kerri Nolan
• Central East VP is vacant

Thank you to all who took the time to vote. We appreciate your ongoing support of our organization.

Cindy Mahr
President, Illinois AEYC

Election Ballots went out via email to current members on 12/2/2009
If you did not receive one via email, please print off ballot and mail in by 12/30/2009
Hard copy Ballot 2009

Candidate Information

Candidate for President-Elect

LAURIE RHODES

Laurie Rhodes has been in the early education field for 29 years.  She is a graduate of LLCC with an AAS in Child Development and anticipates a graduation date of March 2010 from Kendall College with her BA in Early Childhood Education. Laurie earned her Illinois Director Credential in 2003.  She is employed as the director of Lincoln Land Community College Child Development Center in Springfield, IL.  She also serves as a cohort facilitator for the Springfield SAM Cohort.  Laurie is active in the Capitol Area Association for the Education of Young Children currently serving as VP of Programs and previously served as President.  She is co-chair of ILAEYC Professional Development Committee and serves as conference co-chair for the ILAEYC State Conference. Laurie and her husband farm near Elkhart, IL. They are parents of three children and grandparents of two.  Laurie is unopposed for this position.

Candidate for State Secretary

BARBARA WARMOTH

Barbara has been involved in education since 1970 when she began teaching K-3 Physical Education in Clinton, Illinois and Farmer City, Illinois.  Upon returning to Charleston, Illinois she worked with children, families, caseworkers and agencies as a child advocate with the Department of Children and Family Services.  She began the job of Director of the Charleston Community Day Care Center in 1978 where she continues in that position. Barbara has been involved with the Spirit of Illinois affiliate chapter since the mid 80’s and has served several times as their treasurer/membership director.  Barbara has served two terms in the position of Central East Region VP, was Co-Chair of the Communications Committee, served on both the finance and the Public Policy committees.  She is currently serving her first term as State Secretary. In her career Barbara has served on a variety of early childhood advisory boards and as well as holding adjunct faculty status at Eastern Illinois University.  Barbara lives in Charleston, Illinois with her husband, Bill. Their 27 year old son lives in the Chicago area.  In her nonprofessional time she is an active member of Epsilon Sigma Alpha, a philanthropic leadership and educational sorority.  Barbara is unopposed for this position.

Candidate for Southern Region Vice President

TERRY WHITE

Terry White has over 30 years of experience in the early childhood field. She holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Child and Family from Southern Illinois University. Terry has been a part of the early childhood profession for over 25 years. She has worked as a License-Exempt Family Child Care Provider, was an Assistant Teacher/Teacher and Case Manager for SIU-C Head Start, and worked in two child care centers in Carbondale for the last 16 years. Terry has worked at CCR&R at John A Logan College, first as a Parent Counselor/Training Coordinator and now a Provider Services Coordinator. Terry has been active with SIAEYC since 1997. She has served in a number of Board positions, including serving as Vice President. Terry has served on the conference committee for over 11 years. Terry also served on the Little Egypt AEYC board as Treasurer. In addition to her affiliation with AEYC, Terry has served on the Illinois Statewide School Age Network Board. She is an active advocate for young children. Terry lives in Makanda, Illinois with her husband Carl and daughter Jane. (oldest son Charlie now lives in Arizona). Terry enjoys the camaraderie, professionalism and support that being part of AEYC has given her and is excited about the opportunity to serve on the state’s Executive Committee. Terry is unopposed for this position.

Candidate for NAEYC Affiliate Council Representative

KERRI NOLAN

Kerri has been involved in the early childhood field for the past 20 years. Kerri is a recent graduate of Roosevelt University with a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a 0-4 Certification. She opened Kerri Lynn’s Pre-School in 1985. In 1996 she started a full day program called Kerri Lynn’s Child Care Center. In 1999 she moved the business to the Godley Park District. In 2001 Kerri merged with the Park District and helped build a million dollar child care center. Kerri is employed as an Administrator for the Chicago Public Schools Early Childhood Programs. Kerri has been very active over the past 20 years in the Joliet Area AEYC organization. In 1997 she started an Early Childhood Conference for educators in the Joliet area and was the chairperson for that event for 10 years. In 1996 Kerri became the delegate for Joliet AEYC on the Illinois AEYC Governing Board and served as Northern Region VP previously from 2002-2004. Kerri is currently serving as the Affiliate Council Representative from Illinois AEYC to NAEYC. For over 20 years, Kerri has been very dedicated when it comes to working on Early Childhood Advocacy issues. Kerri was one of the first in the state to get the Illinois Director’s Credential. Kerri is currently a Professional Development Advisor with Gateways. Kerri is the proud mother of five children ages 20 through 30 and is married to a very supportive husband. Kerri received the Children’s Champion Award this past year from the Illinois AEYC organization. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her two granddaughters. Kerri also offers educational/music workshops and keynotes. Kerri is unopposed for this position.