Illinois Action for Children Responds To Pritzker’s Proposed Fiscal Year 2026 Budget 

Springfield, IL – On Wednesday, February 19, Governor Pritzker addressed the General Assembly and the people of Illinois, unveiling his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2026. His plan emphasizes fiscal responsibility, support for working families, and expanded access to educational opportunities, and includes important investments in Illinois’ child care system.

Governor Pritzker added a call for Illinoisans to be courageous and stand up for justice.  Illinois Action for Children (IAFC) will continue to answer that call as we work to create a more just and vibrant future for all children and families.

“We are encouraged by the investments outlined in the Governor’s budget proposal that support families in their goals to achieve stability and thrive,” said IAFC CEO April Janney. “Though we know more will be needed to strengthen and sustain the services children and their caregivers depend on, we value the Governor’s ongoing commitment to early childhood education in an uncertain landscape.”

The Governor’s proposed FY26 budget includes the following early childhood investments:

• An overall increase of $160 million for the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) to ensure working families can access affordable child care. This increase includes a $75 million supplemental appropriation for the current fiscal year (FY25) combined with an increase of $85 million for FY26 to support serving additional families in the program and increasing contractually established rates for home-based providers.

• An increase of $90 million for Smart Start Child Care to sustain the Smart Start Workforce Grants (SSWG) program, which to date has supported increased compensation for 18,500 child care professionals caring for 110,000 children throughout the state. This increase will replace expired federal funding and bring the total annual funding for SSWG to $200 million.

The state’s Early Intervention (EI) program will not receive additional state funding in the Governor’s proposed FY26 budget. Rather, the state has proposed an investment of $10 million for enhanced reimbursement rates supported by Medicaid funds. Additional state funding is needed for this vital program to address service delays and ensure that infants and toddlers can get the developmental supports they need.

Other early childhood programs and supports are level-funded in the Governor’s proposed FY26 budget, including:

• The Early Childhood Access Consortium for Equity (ECACE) scholarship program, which supports incumbent early childhood educators obtaining degrees and credentials at 2- and 4-year institutions of higher education.

• Illinois State Board of Education’s Early Childhood Block Grant (ECBG) which supports Preschool for All, Preschool for All Expansion, and Prevention Initiative programs for young children.

• Department of Human Services’ home visiting programs.

IAFC supports the proposed child care investments included in the Governor’s proposed FY26 budget, which will ensure more working families can access affordable child care and sustain the progress we have made towards paying child care providers what they deserve.

Nonetheless, we know that more needs to be done, and we will work with the General Assembly to increase investments across the early childhood system, including EI and ECACE, to ensure young children and their families have a strong foundation to learn, grow, and thrive.