(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- The Illinois Board of Higher Education said it will award $1.3 million in grants to five Illinois colleges and universities to strengthen and diversify the early childhood workforce pipeline.
State officials said the grants, funded by the federal Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five initiative, are awarded in partnership with the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development. The funds will support an estimated 150 students in the upcoming academic year.
After receiving proposals from colleges and universities around the state, the board selected five to implement the grant. The institutions are Joliet Junior College, Lewis University, National Louis University, Quincy University, and Western Illinois University.
"These grants will move the ball forward by increasing the education levels of teachers and assistants, lead to more diversity in our early childhood classrooms where underrepresented students need it, and benefit the workforce in future years," Ginger Ostro, executive director of The Illinois Board of Higher Education, said in a statement.
Dr. Jamilah R. Jor'dan, acting executive director of the Governor's Office of Early Childhood Development, said now is the time to invest in diversity within the higher education workforce.
"Research indicates that a diverse teaching workforce benefits the entire school community, especially children of color," Jor'dan said in a statement. "Further, early childhood educators of color face varied challenges accessing higher education opportunities and face significant wage disparities."
Funds will be used by colleges and universities to help early educators attain one or more state-recognized credentials or a degree.
