PRESS RELEASE: Birth to Five Illinois Wraps Up Fiscal Year with Major Impact Tools
PRESS RELEASE
PDF version
For more information, contact:
Maggie Koller (she/her)
Communications Manager
(309) 233-0434
mkoller@birthtofiveil.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 25, 2025
BIRTH TO FIVE ILLINOIS WRAPS UP FISCAL YEAR WITH MAJOR IMPACT TOOLS
All Available in English and Spanish
Birth to Five Illinois has released several key pieces that highlight another year of progress: an Impact Report, infographics for every Illinois Region, and an animated Action Plan video. Together, these tools underscore Birth to Five Illinois’ commitment to advancing Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) through authentic, community-led solutions.
Impact Report
The Birth to Five Illinois 2023-2025 Impact Report features the growth, milestones, and transformative outcomes since the organization’s initial year. From the development of Regional Needs Assessments and Action Plans to more than 4,800 outreach events and over 295,000 community engagements, the report details how family and Early Childhood provider voices have shaped priorities and strengthened the Early Childhood infrastructure across the State.
Key accomplishments include:
Distribution of over $9 million to more than 40 Local Early Childhood Collaborations
Release of 142 community-informed reports, including Regional Needs and Mental and Behavioral Health Assessments
More than 980 touchpoints with elected officials, many of whom now serve on our Councils
“We are excited by the momentum we have seen in improving ECEC for teachers, families, and children throughout the State”, said Cicely Fleming, Director of Birth to Five Illinois. “As Illinois’ only statewide Early Childhood Regional and Community System, we have both a bird’s eye and an up-close view of all the collaborative ways community members are working together to support young children.”
Included in the report are 39 Regional Action Plan Progress Infographics. These visual summaries spotlight the community-level efforts underway and how each Region is advancing their equity-focused priorities. The infographics serve as a digestible tool for families, policymakers, and advocates to stay informed and engaged in these local changemaking efforts.
View the Impact Report and the Regional Action Plan Progress Infographics at:
www.birthtofiveil.com/reports/#statewide (English)
www.birthtofiveil.com/reports/#estatales (Spanish)
Animated Action Plan Video
To complement the report, Birth to Five Illinois released an animated video that explains how the Regional Action Plans were developed based on the goals of each community. The video emphasizes the importance of SMART goals (Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Relevant. Time-Bound.), Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI), and collaborative leadership, making complex system-level work more accessible to families and members of the public.
“Central to our mission is true partnership with family and community members in every corner of the State”, said Melissa Williams, Birth to Five Illinois’ Family & Community Engagement Manager. “It is amazing to see how much progress we have made in the past four years, progress that has been driven by the experiences and ideas of families.”
Watch the animated video at:
www.birthtofiveil.com/reports/#action (English)
www.birthtofiveil.com/reports/#accion (Spanish)
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About Birth to Five Illinois
Birth to Five Illinois’ mission is to create a statewide regional infrastructure that will amplify input from communities in the development of policies and funding priorities. We support the mobilization of communities to build and sustain equitable access to inclusive, high-quality early childhood services for all children and families in the state of Illinois.