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ReadyNation Illinois @ReadyNationIL

A nonpartisan, nonprofit network of 250 Illinois business executives committed to building a skilled workforce & stronger economy.

Joined September 2020
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ReadyNation Illinois@ReadyNationIL
26 Feb 2025
Our new, statewide poll of employers & managers reveals overwhelming backing for #earlychildhood investments as a priority for Illinois' workforce and economy. For highlights of this survey, conducted by the Zogby Analytics polling firm, visit tinyurl.com/ykv49kd5. #twill
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Our work to improve #earlychildhood investments is strengthened by the participation of execs from about 90 local IL chambers of commerce, including Shauna Small-Craib from Lansing and Amanda Wike from Dixon. We enjoyed catching-up at the @IACCE conference in Carterville! #twill
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Our business-leader members come from all corners of IL, as demonstrated by Claudia Thornton (@GEchamber) & Maribeth Bendick (@BvilleILChamber)! We were grateful to spend time w/them & scores of other members at the @IACCE conference in Carterville this week. #twill
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At the @IACCE conference in Carterville: It was great to visit with longtime ReadyNation member Matt Duffy of the @DeKalbILChamber & to welcome Amy Boston to our efforts at boosting kids' well-being. Boston is CEO of @threology95236 in St. Charles. #twill #IACCE2025
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#HeadStart services are endangered by the federal shutdown, affecting tens of thousands of young children nationwide. ReadyNation joins 100 other organizations asking Congress to protect vulnerable families from the loss of these vital supports. #twill tinyurl.com/mr395zjb

JOINT STATEMENT: Groups Call on Congress to Protect Head Start, End the Shutdown

The following organizations issued a joint statement urging Congress to take action to protect Head Start by ending the federal shutdown now.

ffyf.org
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The 250 employers & managers who are members of ReadyNation IL know: #Earlychildhood education is one of the best investments we can make in seeding critical literacy, math, & social-emotional skills in the students & workforce of tomorrow. #twill tinyurl.com/3rp5n7ee
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ReadyNation research, cited in this @NCSLorg piece, hung a $122B price tag on the annual economic drain posed by the country's #childcare crisis — more reasons why our business leaders call for greater public investments in #earlychildhood priorities. tinyurl.com/2znbdd6x

Make Child Care Affordable and Watch the Economy Grow

To grow the economy, invest in high-quality, affordable child care.  That was the message from experts at a 2025 NCSL Legislative Summit session on what it will take from policymakers and the...

ncsl.org
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A lack of accessible, affordable #childcare is not helping this trend depressing workforce participation — one reason our business-leader network presses for greater public investments in such priorities for children, working parents, & our economy. #twill tinyurl.com/44jw642m

Mothers are leaving the workforce, erasing pandemic gains

Working mothers are leaving the workforce in large numbers due to return-to-office policies and caregiving responsibilities.

washingtonpost.com
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Employers & managers support #earlylearning as a proven investment in helping young children do well — both in school today & the workforce tomorrow. Read more about the economic significance of #preK & #childcare in our survey of IL business execs: tinyurl.com/ykv49kd5 #twill
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College students w/kids drop-out of school at twice the rate of their peers, juggling classes & parenting duties & often jobs. We support efforts to help "student parents" access #childcare, including CCAMPIS, & we ask Congress to protect it. #twill tinyurl.com/4k7wc6t3

Why Cut a Federal Program That Helps Student Parents Access Child Care?

Student parents need affordable child care, but the Trump administration proposed eliminating CCAMPIS, a federal program that helps them access it.

the74million.org
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Trauma can hurt children’s development well into adulthood, a longtime concern of our business-leader network. A new report & index track a number of adversity factors throughout IL, to better inform policy responses & solutions. #twill isbe.net/Pages/childrens-adv….
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Our membership of IL business leaders similarly values these #afterschool programs for helping young people develop skills for success in school, jobs & careers. Let's protect & strengthen 21st Century Community Learning Centers! #twill
Fight Crime Illinois@FightCrimeIL
3 Jul 2025
1/2: #Afterschool & summer learning opportunities for 58,000 IL youth are now halted by this funding freeze, while a federal budget proposal also threatens to eliminate future funding for these 21st Century Community Learning Center priorities. #twill tinyurl.com/mr39nvaw
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We're grateful for our discussion w/the @OrlandChamber re: #childcare & #earlylearning programs as vital business infrastructure. Business-leader voices are crucial to strengthening #earlychildhood supports for working parents & their kids, the workforce of tomorrow! #twill
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Home-based care is a critical component of the #childcare puzzle for many families. Our business-leader network backs efforts to support and strengthen these services for the good of children, their working parents, & our entire economy. #twill tinyurl.com/4wfd2acv

Report: For First Time in Years, Home-Based Child Care Programs A

Some states are seeing a spike in child care programs — but experts worry it’s not enough to outrun rising child care costs.

edsurge.com
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1/2: IL's new budget invests further in #childcare help for kids, working parents, & our economy — including grants that boost staff compensation for the "workforce behind our entire workforce." Our business-leader network thanks @GovPritzker & lawmakers. #twill
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2/2: Our efforts to bolster such priorities as #preK and key birth-to-3 programs continue; these were flat-funded in the FY26 plan despite enormous needs & a years-old blueprint for investing more in strengthening these aspects of the IL #earlychildhood system. #twill
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1/2: "We look at #earlychildhood education as an economic-development necessity in our region," said Amanda Wike of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce. She spoke of business leaders' support for #childcare & early learning programs such as #HeadStart.
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2/2: A ReadyNation IL member, Wike served as a panelist for a webinar hosted by the @McCormick_Fdn & Clement & Jessie V. Stone Foundation on crucial, federal supports for #earlychildhood priorities. We thank all for focusing on this important topic! #twill
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Young children w/developmental disabilities deserve our support, but underfunding has nearly doubled the delays in their #EarlyIntervention services. Our network of IL business leaders backs the call for increasing EI resources in the FY26 state budget. tinyurl.com/bddv9n2u

Early Intervention Provider Rate Increase Falls Short of What is Needed to Stabilize System

Start Early Policy Specialist Zareen Kamal reflects on this step forward for our state, while asserting the need for deeper investment in the Early Intervention workforce to address service delays.

startearly.org
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1/2: #Childcare insufficiencies erode our workforce, ReadyNation member Mike Murphy told an IL House committee last week. Murphy heads The Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce & spoke in favor of HR137, which centers on meeting #earlychildhood facilities needs. #twill
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2/2: HR137 urges IL to better prioritize the construction & renovation concerns of preK & child care providers, starting w/full measurement of the birth-to-5 system's infrastructure needs. This measure passed IL House committee unanimously & now faces floor consideration. #twill
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