SPRINGFIELD – State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel is leading a measure to set clear educational standards for individuals seeking to serve as child care directors, ensuring families across Illinois can trust that those overseeing the care and development of their children meet a consistent, high-quality benchmark of professional preparation.

“Every child deserves to be in the care of qualified, well-trained professionals,” said Loughran Cappel (D-Shorewood). “This bill does two important things: it sets the educational bar we expect of child care directors, and it ensures that day care centers are not left scrambling if they cannot immediately fill that role.”

In the Illinois Department of Human Services’ 2023 survey of child care centers, respondents reported a rating between “somewhat difficult” and “very difficult” when asked how easy it was to find qualified staff to fill open positions, including directors. Realizing that directors of day care centers are essential to the centers staying open and benefiting communities, Loughran Cappel is leading House Bill 4587.

The measure would establish pathways for interim conditional child care directors to be employed for 12 months while they are working to complete the profession’s educational requirements. However, it would limit the day care centers who could hire interim child care directors to licensed ones who already have a fully credentialed director, and day care centers would not be able to hire more than one interim director for every credentialed director.

“By creating the Interim Conditional Child Care Director pathway, we are protecting children while also giving our child care workforce room to grow and succeed,” said Loughran Cappel. “This is simply about providing quality child care and prioritizing the safety of students.”

House Bill 4587 passed the Senate Child Welfare Committee Tuesday.