Professional Development

Illinois AEYC supports early childhood educators in advancing their knowledge, skills, and practice to ensure high-quality learning experiences for all young children. Visit our events calendar to stay up to date on professional development through Illinois AEYC.

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

https://www.naeyc.org/events/trainings-webinars

Delivers a wide range of professional development opportunities for early childhood educators, including live and on-demand webinars, online training, and the NAEYC Annual Conference. Sessions address child development, equity, leadership, curriculum, and best practices in early care and education aligned to NAEYC standards.
Early CHOICES
Early CHOICES is an Inclusion Initiative of the Illinois State Board of Education. Promoting increasing high quality inclusive early care and education for each and every child birth to age 5 by providing opportunities, events, and on-demand modules with module credits.

IRIS Center

Hosts a comprehensive library of free, interactive, self-paced training modules and webinars on evidence-based practices in special education and early intervention. Participants can explore modules on topics like behavior, accommodations, assessment, and family partnerships and earn certificates of completion for professional learning hours.

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) Learning Library

Offers on-demand professional learning opportunities through free and member-only webinars, podcasts, toolkits, and courses. Topics include inclusive practices, instructional strategies, legal/ethical updates, and supports across the birth–21 spectrum. Many sessions feature nationally recognized experts in the field of special education.

Autism Focused Intervention Resources & Modules (AFIRM)

Provides free, self-paced online modules designed to help practitioners, families, and educators learn how to plan, use, and monitor evidence-based practices for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. Modules include step-by-step strategies, interactive activities, and downloadable resources for immediate classroom or program use.

Understood

https://www.understood.org/en

A nonprofit organization that offers free online professional development resources, articles, and webinars to help educators, caregivers, and specialists support children with learning and attention issues. Topics include executive functioning, dyslexia, ADHD, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and strategies for building inclusive environments.


Illinois SLD (Specific Learning Disability) Support Project
A federally funded initiative through the Illinois State Board of Education in partnership with Eastern Illinois University, this project aims to provide free professional development for Illinois educators serving students with SLDs—including dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Services include both in-person and virtual trainings where participants can earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs), as well as on-demand recorded sessions, downloadable resources (like a structured 3×3 Decoding Lesson Plan Template), and a 2024–25 training booklet outlining upcoming events.
STAR NET

Provides statewide professional development, consultation, and resources to support early childhood professionals and families of young children with disabilities. Offerings include free workshops, webinars, conferences, and training sessions covering topics such as inclusion, evidence-based practices, and family engagement, often tailored for Illinois early childhood educators and specialists.