Julie Spielberger, Principal Investigator
2009

The Birth to Five Project, a public-private collaborative effort to develop a more accessible statewide system of early childhood services and family support for children birth to 5 years, represents the BUILD Initiative in Illinois. Participation in the national BUILD Initiative has helped Illinois strengthen the foundation for a quality early childhood system that will benefit young children and their families across the state. Illinois has increased its investments to improve the quality of early childhood programs, expand access to high-quality services, and increase linkages within the system. Through the BUILD Initiative, the Birth to Five Project has continued to lead and support these system-building efforts by identifying service gaps and barriers, collecting and sharing information to address key challenges, establishing new collaborations, and monitoring progress toward its goals. Chapin Hall will prepare case studies documenting the growth of the early childhood system in Illinois since it joined the BUILD Initiative in 2002.