Section 235.65  ExceleRate Illinois:  Quality Rating and Improvement System

Beginning in the 2014-15 school year, each grantee that operates a preschool education program funded under this Part shall participate in ExceleRate Illinois (see http://www.excelerateillinois.

com and click on "Information for Providers").  ExceleRate Illinois is the State's quality rating and improvement system that emphasizes continuous quality improvement for early learning and development programs and uses a consistent set of standards organized into four domains of teaching and learning; family and community engagement; leadership and management; and qualifications and continuing education.

a)         Based on the results of monitoring conducted pursuant to Section 235.67, grantees shall achieve an ExceleRate Illinois designation based on evidence of meeting the standards for that designation (see http://www.excelerateillinoisproviders.com/

resources/standard-and-evidence-requirements for further information).

b)         The physical location of the preschool education program shall inform the designation to be assigned under subsection (a).

1)         If the grantee is a school district and administers the preschool education program in multiple attendance centers:

A)        the individual attendance center in which a program is located shall achieve a designation separate from the school district in situations in which the attendance center has three or more preschool classrooms; or

B)        the individual attendance center in which a program is located shall achieve the designation of the school district in situations in which the attendance center has fewer than three classrooms.

2)         If the grantee is a community-based child care center, the designation achieved by the community-based child care center will be assigned to the preschool classrooms housed at that facility.  The requirements of this subsection (b)(2) shall apply to any school district that operates a preschool education program in a community-based child care center.

3)         If the grantee is a public or private not-for-profit or for-profit entity other than a school district or a community-based child care center, the designation achieved by the public or private not-for-profit or for-profit entity shall be assigned to the preschool classrooms administered by the grantee regardless of the number of preschool classrooms.

c)         The designation achieved by a program shall not be changed unless the results of ongoing monitoring authorized under Section 235.67 indicate that the program has either:

1)         met the standards for receipt of a higher designation; or

2)         failed to maintain a level of quality necessary to retain the designation currently achieved.

d)         A program that fails to achieve a "Gold Circle of Quality" or "Silver Circle of Quality" designation shall be subject to actions detailed in Section 235.67.

(Source:  Added at 39 Ill. Reg. 6674, effective April 27, 2015)