Professional Development for early care and education practitioners in Illinois is the primary focus of Gateways to Opportunity. We support your professional development through a variety of programs and areas.
Search for early care and education, school-age, youth development and family support job opportunities in your area or if you are an employer, you can post your open positions here. Open positions are added frequently, so check back often.
Information about colleges and universities that offer course work in ECE or child development. Find out how to become an Entitled Institution and offer Gateways Credentials to your students.
Statewide committee of key stakeholders from a wide variety of child related industries who work to advance the field of early care and education, school-age, youth development and family support.
Early Childhood Competency-Based Preparation Pathway
Higher Education Directory- A directory of accredited colleges and universities in Illinois who offer coursework in Early Care and Education, Child Development, Human Growth & Development and other areas of study related to caring for and educating children.
Becoming an Entitled Institution - Information for Higher Education Institutions who want to know more about becoming entitled to offer Gateways Credentials. Faculty can examine Credential Content Areas, the Frameworks that Credentials are built upon, and how to align coursework to meet Credential requirements.
A Professional Development Advisor (PDA) is an experienced professional who will assist you with planning and achieving your career goals. A PDA will guide you through developing a Professional Development Plan and share information about colleges and universities in your area that offer coursework in early childhood, as well as help you decide which credential or certification would be best for you.
Request an Advisor
Individual Advisement
If you are an individual who would like to request a PDA, complete this quick survey. We will help you get your career moving forward.
Si eres una persona que desea solicitar un PDA, solamente complete esta breve encuesta. Le ayuderamos a que avance en su carrera.
Center-Based Advisement
If you are the administrator of an early care and education program, complete this quick survey to request a PDA to work with you and your staff.
Si es el administrador de un centro con programa de educación y cuidado infantil, y desea solicitar un PDA para trabajar con usted y su personal, complete esta breve encuesta.
If you have specific questions about your application for a Gateways to Opportunity program, please contact us via email to connect with a Program Specialist about your application status.
PDAC is a group of key stakeholders from a wide variety of child related industries who work to advance the field of early care and education, school-age, youth development and family support.
Gateways to Opportunity® Credentials are awarded and recognized by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) Division of Early Childhood. Some Circles of Quality in ExceleRate® Illinois require Gateways Credentials and employers can use Credentials to help them in their hiring decisions. Gateways Credentials are for individuals who live and/or work in Illinois.
Gateways Credentials are symbols of professional achievement that show your knowledge, skills, and experience in caring and educating for children. They are an individual achievement that you can be proud of. There are specific Credential types based on your education, training, and experience:
To start a Gateways Credential application, there are 3 steps:
Select Gateways Credentials in the "Apply" section. Click the "Apply Now" button to create a new application.
Please request all official transcripts (if not on file) to be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or mailed to:
INCCRRA
1226 Towanda Ave
Bloomington, IL 61701
Optional: If you have a valid CDA, please email a copy to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Training is an important component of your professional development. Gateways to Opportunity connects you to training opportunities both online and locally.
Find online training and professional development resources for child care providers on the i-learning website. This includes trainings for DCFS licensing, ExceleRate Illinois, Gateways Credentials, and much more.
ITN Trainers are specialized in the field of early care and education. They offer professional development training through the local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies statewide.
If you are an ITN Trainer visit the ITN Trainers page where you will login to access resources and forms needed for your trainings.
Gateways Registry-Approved Trainers are individuals who have been approved to offer training that has been evaluated and approved by the Gateways Registry.
If you are interested in becoming a Registry-Approved Trainer you can find that information on the the Gateways Registry website.
ITN Trainers periodically go through an appraisal process. If you are an expert trainer and would like to help ITN Trainers develop their training skills by offering feedback and developing plans with them, you can apply to become an ITN Appraiser.
The Gateways Scholarship Program is a scholarship opportunity that supports professionals who wish to further their career in early care and education by taking college courses, earning Credentials, or advancing on the Great START scale.
The Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) Scholarship Program is an opportunity for qualified early childhood educators to pursue credentials and advancement of already-held degrees in early childhood education.
The Workforce Scholarship is available to all Chicago residents aspiring to join the early childhood workforce and is open to early education professionals engaged in rolls beyond the classroom setting.
There are other funding opportunities available to you. These programs are not administered by Gateways to Opportunity but we've included links to help you get started.
The Gateways Scholarship Program will pay a portion of tuition for eligible professionals working in early care and education or school-age programs who want to earn college credit, Credentials, or degrees. The courses you take need to be in early childhood education (ECE) or child development (CD). You can be enrolled in an associate, bachelor's, or master's degree program or taking classes toward a certificate, endorsement, or Credential. Explore this section to find eligibility requirements, how to apply, and what your responsibilities are if you are awarded a Gateways Scholarship. We have also answered many of the most common questions and provide lots of details in our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Who is eligible?
To be eligible to receive a Gateways Scholarship, you must:
Care for children in an Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (IDCFS) licensed program or Illinois State Board of Education funded Preschool for All program.
Employed by your current program for at least a one year. (90 days if employed at an ExceleRate Bronze, Silver or Gold Circle of Quality program.)
Work an average of 15 hours per week.
Meet wage requirements.
Be a citizen of the United States, be a lawful permanent resident, or reside in the State of Illinois.
Commit to future work in early care and education or school-age care, which begins at the completion of the scholarship contract.
Coursework to advance on the Great START Wage Supplement Scale.
Coursework toward a Gateways ECE Credential, Infant Toddler Credential, or Illinois Director Credential.
A bachelor's or master's degree related to program administration for ECE/CD.
Coursework for Illinois Professional Educator Licensure in Early Childhood.
What are my responsibilities?
Read the Gateways Scholarship FAQ.
Enroll in courses.
Submit a Gateways to Opportunity Scholarship Program pdf
Participant Class Schedule Form
(495 KB) to the Gateways Scholarship Program each term, listing the courses for that term.
Go to class and do well. The Gateways Scholarship Program will pay for a class only once!
Continue to work in eligible program and role and work 15 hours per week.
Send in your grade reports at the end of each term.
Pay the remaining portion of tuition and fees to the college or university.
Continue to work in an eligible early care and education or school-age care program upon the completion of the scholarship contract, to meet the work commitment requirement.
To apply for the Gateways Scholarship Program, you can apply online via your Registry Portal or with a paper application. To apply with a paper application, you need to:
To renew your Gateways Scholarship Program, you can renew online via your Registry Portal or with a paper application. To apply with a paper application, you need to:
Still meet all eligibility requirements.
Be a member of the Gateways Registry.
Submit grade reports from last term.
Gather and mail your required documents using the checklist provided in the application.
Mail to:
INCCRRA/Applications
1226 Towanda Plaza
Bloomington IL, 61701
Great START (Strategy to Attract and Retain Teachers) is a wage supplement program that acknowledges child care practitioners who have completed college coursework and stay at their current place of employment. Great START recipients are sent a check every six months (based on continued eligibility) to supplement their income.
Who is eligible?
Consider applying for the Great START program if all of the following apply to you:
Care for Illinois children
Employed by an eligible program
Work in an eligible position
Have been employed by the same program for a required minimum amount of time
Work an average of at least 15 hours per week
Earn $24.00 per hour or less and $49,920.00 per year or less *eligible applicants must make no more than both the hourly and yearly income caps.
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Smart Start Child Care at IDHS is a component of Smart Start Illinois, a multi-year plan to provide every child with access to preschool, increase funding to childcare providers to raise wages and quality, invest in new expanded early childhood facilities, and reach more vulnerable families with early support. Smart Start Illinois demonstrates the state's ongoing commitment to children, families, teachers, and childcare providers.
Smart Start Child Care at IDHS features –
Smart Start Workforce Grants providing increased wages and a predictable, stable funding stream to licensed providers across Illinois aimed at growing and strengthening providers serving the Child Care Assistance Program.
The Smart Start Quality Support Program supporting participating child care programs in their efforts to embed continuous quality improvement (CQI) systems throughout their organizations. This includes creating new structures to support program CQI, implementing new leadership processes, and supporting professional development of administrators and teaching staff.
Previously, Smart Start Transition Grants provided a bridge between COVID relief funding and Smart Start Workforce Grants, helping Illinois stabilize the child care industry in the wake of the pandemic.
These investments are just the start, as Smart Start Child Care will continue to deliver innovative approaches to help meet the quality and capacity goals of Smart Start Illinois both now and into the future.
Having feedback and input from those working in early childhood education and care is a priority as the state develops Smart Start Illinois. An ad-hoc committee of the IDHS-DEC Child Care Advisory Council began meeting in November 2022. This committee focuses on Smart Start Child Care, and providing insight, feedback, and raises questions and thoughts as the state develops a plan for this work. This committee is made up of individuals that work in child care, and agencies that support child care. Below are the presentations that are provided at each ad-hoc committee meeting.
The Smart Start Early Childhood Apprenticeship Program seeksto bridge and connect scholarship programs leading to credentials and degrees with on-the-job/real-world training and mentorship tailored to the context of the specific communities where apprentices work. The program will incorporate child care program contracts, specifically to provide funding for participating centers for increased compensation based on staff qualifications.
The Smart Start Child Care Workforce Grant program will replace Transition Grants and will provide child care programs the stable, ongoing funds they need to cover costs and invest in quality staff.
The Smart Start Quality Support (SSQS) program, formerly the ExceleRate Pilot, helps the participating centers cover the staffing costs associated with higher quality, and guide staff in their quality improvement work.
ExceleRate Illinois helps you prepare children for success in school and life.
It also provides standards, guidelines, resources, and support to help you make sensible changes that lead to better quality outcomes for children.
