ExceleRate: Licensed Child Care Centers in the ExceleRate Program
About the data
Latest data: FY2022 (July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2022)
ExceleRate Illinois is a statewide quality recognition and improvement system designed to make continuous quality improvement an everyday priority among early learning providers. The program establishes standards for helping infants, toddlers, and preschool-age children develop intellectually, physically, socially, and emotionally. It provides a framework for early learning professionals to identify opportunities for improvement, increase their skills, and take steps to make positive changes.
There are four Circle of Quality designations:
- The Licensed Circle of Quality is the foundational circle of quality, and recognizes compliance with the licensing standards of the State of Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.
- The Bronze Circle of Quality recognizes qualifications and professional development, with completion of a robust series of trainings. Bronze Circle trainings are aligned with the standards of ExceleRate Illinois, and prepare programs for success as they progress through the Circles of Quality.
- The Silver Circle of Quality recognizes completion of a rigorous self-assessment and implementation of a continuous quality improvement process, as verified by an independent assessor. Silver Circle programs meet or exceed specific quality benchmarks on learning environment and instructional quality, along with selected administrative standards; qualifications; and professional development.
- The Gold Circle of Quality recognizes programs which have demonstrated quality on all standards, as validated by an independent assessor. Gold Circle programs meet or exceed specific quality benchmarks on learning environment, instructional quality, and all administrative standards; group size and ratios; qualifications; and professional development.
Source of definition: ExceleRate Program Overview
For information on licensed child care centers in general, see Child Care: Licensed Centers.
Child care centers serve families and children from 6 weeks old up to age 13.
Data available on IECAM
Total number of sites
The number of child care centers licensed by DCFS in a geographic area (e.g., state or county)
Source of data: Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA)
Geographic region: These data are available by state, county, township, IL House district, IL Senate district, US Congressional district, ISBE region, IDHS region, municipality, ZIP Code ZCTA, ZIP Code postal, unit and elementary school district, and Chicago Community Area.
Notes:
- The centers included are those whose regulation status is “regulated/licensed” and whose center type is “Child Care Center,” “CCC Park/Recreation only,” or “Preschool."
- Sites that are Head Start-only or Preschool for All-only are not included in these data.
- Centers that served no children and centers that served “summer only” were not counted in the number of sites.
Number of sites with ExceleRate ratings
The number of licensed child care centers with licensed circle of quality and with bronze, silver, and gold ratings.
Source of data: Illinois Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies (INCCRRA)
Geographic region: These data are available by state, county, township, state House district, state Senate district, congressional district, ISBE region, IDHS region, municipality, ZIP Code ZCTA, ZIP Code postal, unit and elementary school district, and Chicago Community Area.