LittleRoadsCo.Illinois
Classroom materials for Illinois's Preschool for All programs
Illinois serves roughly 75,000 children through Preschool for All, which is expanding under the Smart Start initiative. ExceleRate Illinois, the state's QRIS, uses ERS, CLASS, and program standards for quality ratings. Chicago Public Schools is a large centralized buyer, while suburban and downstate programs are fragmented across districts and community organizations. The Illinois Early Learning Standards reference family and community connections in the classroom environment.
What ExceleRate Illinois expects from your classroom
Illinois has the concentration advantage of Chicago (where CPS operates a massive early childhood system) and the fragmentation challenge of everything outside Chicago. Both need community-specific materials, but for different reasons. A CPS classroom in Pilsen needs materials that reflect Pilsen. A Preschool for All site in Springfield needs materials that reflect Springfield. ExceleRate assessors in both settings are looking for the same evidence: materials that demonstrate the classroom was designed with this specific community in mind.
For Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, Naperville, Springfield, and beyond
Every Illinois community has its own layout, landmarks, and character. A rug from one city shows completely different streets and buildings than one from another. That specificity is what quality assessors look for when they evaluate community connection in the classroom. Whether your program is in a major metro area or a smaller community, the rug features your neighborhood. Your school at the center, surrounded by the streets and landmarks your children recognize.
See how your school's neighborhood looks as a rug
Enter your school's address and we'll generate a custom illustration of the surrounding neighborhood. Real streets, local landmarks, your building at the center.