Pritzker wants to consolidate early education, speaker’s bill allows staff to unionize

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Early childhood education in Illinois would be administered by a separate state agency, combining disparate services that bind parents in red tape, under a proposal Gov. “This transition won’t happen overnight, but the work must begin now.” Pritzker signed an executive order “to get this process started so that we can have better coordinated state funded programs, more equitably allocated resources, less bureaucracy.” Ann Whalen, with the education advocacy organization Advance Illinois, will serve as transition director. Ireta Gasner, vice president of Illinois policy for the advocacy group Start Early, called Pritzker’s plan “a unique, historic pledge to redesign and transform how we serve Illinois families with young children.” She said that a successful launch depends on ensuring that experts in early learning are part of the discussions. In Springfield, House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, a Hillside Democrat, won Executive Committee approval for a proposal allowing legislative staff, from partisan analysts to custodians, to join a collective bargaining unit. They also provide valuable experience and lead to future careers as lobbyists, liaisons with state agencies and even legislators, said Kelly Kupris, a House education analyst representing the Illinois Legislative Staff Association.