SPRINGFIELD - State Senator Christopher Belt (D-Centreville) will serve on the Illinois Commission on Equitable Early Childhood Education and Care Funding to improve access to quality early childhood programs for all Illinois families.

“If we expect our children to have successful careers, we need to continue to invest in early childhood education,” Belt said. “This starts with making sure students have an intellectual skill set before entering kindergarten and ensuring the most disadvantaged children have the opportunity to succeed alongside their more advantaged classmates.”

Governor JB Pritzker and early childhood experts created the 29-member commission to establish funding goals and funding tools to provide reasonable access to high-quality early childhood education, care services for all children from birth to age five and their families.

The members who will serve on the commission are child care providers, advocates, educators and legislators.