Higher Education

Higher education is an essential component of Illinois’ Gateways to Opportunity early care and education professional development network. Representatives of Illinois colleges and universities have been involved in all aspects of the development of Gateways to Opportunity: the Career Lattice, a framework for illustrating various career options and pathways in early care and education, the set of Core Knowledge that identifies what early care and education professionals should know and be able to do at various levels of education, training, and role responsibilities, and the Credentials that validate specialized skills, knowledge, experience, and leadership in early care and education. Higher education faculty also serve as Professional Development Advisors for Gateways to Opportunity and as committee members for the Professional Development Advisory Council, where they work with other stakeholders to develop an integrated statewide early care and education professional development system.

A number of resources are available to help you locate higher education assistance, services, and information in Illinois. Locate the state’s colleges and universities on the Higher Education Map. Use the Higher Education Directory to find out about the early childhood degree and certificate programs offered by 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education in Illinois.

Read about innovative programming and partnerships in higher education that help to overcome obstacles that hinder early care and education practitioners from furthering their education . Connect to aid and resources offered through colleges and universities in Illinois.

You may also want to check out the financial opportunities for higher education.

Join the ECE Faculty Listserv to discuss concerns and share ideas with higher education faculty and staff in Illinois.

If you have additional higher education resources to suggest or stories to share, please contact us using our online form.