Gateways to Opportunity

06/05/2026

The Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) was instituted to provide nutritious meals to children during the summer months when school is not in session. https://www.isbe.net/sfsp

An alternative to the SFSP for providing meals to your children in the summer months is the Seamless Summer Option. This program is available to local education agencies that already participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast Program (SBP). For more information, visit the Seamless Summer Option page - https://www.isbe.net/Pages/Seamless-Summer-Option.aspx

Every child will make significant academic gains each year, increasing their knowledge, skills, and opportunities so they graduate equipped to pursue a successful future, with the state paying special attention to addressing historic inequities.

06/04/2026

If you are a Smart Start Workforce Grant program, check out these quick reminders:

• Smart Start Workforce Grant FY26 Round 3 reporting should have been completed by April 30, 2026. FY26 Round 3 funding use period was for January – March 2026.
• FY27 Round 1 payments will be sent in two batches once funding is approved by the state. One small payment in late June and the remainder in fiscal year 2027.
• FY27 Round 2 applications open July 1, 2026. FY26 Round 1-3 reporting will be required for approval of funds.

For more information, visit our website!

    In February 2023, Governor JB Pritzker announced his plans for Smart Start Illinois, a multi-year plan to provide every child with access to preschool, to increase funding for child care providers to raise wages and classroom quality, and to reach more vulnerable families with early support. S...

06/04/2026

Great news! If your Great START application was made eligible in May, your check was mailed yesterday, Wednesday, June 3, 2026!

We are currently accepting Great START new and renewal applications.

For more information about Great START or to apply today, visit our website! If you have questions about your Great START application, email [email protected].

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)...

06/04/2026

Your Basic Transcript Review (BTR) may need updating!

The BTR sorts your college coursework into four different categories and can be viewed through the Registry as part of your Professional Development Record (PDR). To check out your BTR and see if it needs updating, click the link below and log in to your Registry account.
https://registry.ilgateways.com/component/wsuser/login

If your BTR needs to be updated, you can submit official transcripts by mailing them in their original envelope to Gateways to Opportunity, Attn: Official Transcripts, 1226 Towanda Avenue, Bloomington, IL 61701. You can also have them sent by your college or university to [email protected].

06/03/2026

Second Nature Beyond the Barriers
October 24, 2026 | Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, IL
Presented by: Northern Illinois Nature Play Association

This year’s focus is Beyond the Barriers, and the Keynote Presenter is Jessica Fong, editor of Seeing Ourselves in Nature. Here, you will look at barriers such as access to natural settings, licensing and regulation issues, navigating risky play, and the inclusivity of marginalized groups. You will examine how you can break down those barriers and create space for yourself, your children, and your greater communities to topple the walls keeping children from the freeing world of play in nature.

Register today!
https://secondnature2026.sched.com/

06/02/2026

05/29/2026

As a teacher in Illinois, you will transform many lives. Starting with your own. Illinois needs teachers more than ever. If you are considering becoming an educator, there are opportunities to join the profession across our state.

Take the next step to become a teacher!

Fill out the form below and a representative from the Illinois State Board of Education will contact you to learn where you are in your career journey, and provide customized information on how you can become a teacher.

05/28/2026

Healthy and nutritious summer meals are available for children (18 and under) when school is out.

Find a site near you by visiting https://wegotyouillinois.org/programs/

05/27/2026

It is important to keep your Registry membership up to date. With a free Gateways Registry Membership, your education, credentials, and all Registry trainings you have attended will be tracked in the Registry database. You have access to this information at any time by viewing your Professional Development Record (PDR) online.

https://registry.ilgateways.com/

05/26/2026

Illinois is an exciting place to start a career in Early Childhood Education and Care. Illinois is ranked in the top ten for Child Care accessibility and also has an ongoing commitment to fund scholarship and apprenticeship programs that expand the Child Care workforce.

Find out about credentials, trainings, and speak with a professional development advisor who can help you plan for a career in ECEC!

Illinois Cares For Kids