South West Illinois News

In a June 16 Facebook post, Rep. David Friess (R-Red Bud) detailed the Illinois State Board of Education's efforts to help fund preschool programs.

“Illinois ranks 8th in the nation for preschool enrollment – that's pretty awesome,” he wrote on Facebook. “But some areas do not have enough publicly funded preschool spaces to serve at least 80% of low-income children. We call these areas ‘preschool deserts.’ To turn them into preschool oases, @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation has grants available to expand existing programs and to launch new ones.”

Friess expanded on the block grant program on his official website.

"The 2024 Early Childhood Block Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education is aimed at increasing access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds across the state and filling critical gaps in underserved areas," he posted. "Organizations such as schools, daycares, churches, community centers, and more can apply for funding to start or expand a preschool. And there’s help available for new applicants!"

The 2024 Early Childhood Block Grant is available to public or private not-for-profit, or for-profit entities that are experienced in providing services, including education, to young children and their families. The deadline to return the request for proposals is 4 p.m. June 30, 2023, for the block grant application. These programs must serve children and families outside of Chicago, according to the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) website about the block grant.

ISBE has a list of preschool deserts that are a priority for the Early Childhood Block Grant program. The list of 197 school districts includes Darien School District 61, Morris School District 54, DeKalb CUSD428, Bloomindale School District 13, Waukegan CUSD 60, Eureka CUD 140 and Herrin CUSD 4.

A webinar for technical assistance is available for individuals to view at the ISBE preschool program page. You’ll also find the preschool desert map tutorial, updated frequently asked questions for the proposals, and the availability of the Birth to Five Illinois Regional Team to assist in completing the grant, understanding the data and helping applicants find grant writing support.

A lifelong Illinois resident, Friess has been part of the Illinois General Assembly since January 2021. He represents the 115th District, and is currently assigned to a variety of committees, including Adoption & Child Welfare, Cybersecurity; Family Law & Probate; Higher Ed-Special Topics and others.