IDEC Budget Listening Session

The Illinois Department of Early Childhood (IDEC) is hosting a virtual listening session on Tuesday, September 15, 2026 from 5 p.m.–6:30 p.m. to gather input on the State Fiscal Year (FY) 2028 budget (July 1, 2027-June 30, 2028).

The purpose of this session is to hear directly from parents, community members, providers, the workforce, and other stakeholders about the priorities you believe should shape the FY 2028 budget.

Please CLICK HERE to register, share what you would like to see prioritized in the Fiscal Year 2028 budget, and indicate whether you would like to provide public comment.

In order to provide oral public comment during the listening session, you will need to register in advance. Priority for oral public comment will be given to the first people that express interest on the registration form. Speaking time will be limited to 3 minutes per person and we ask that only one person speak on behalf of an organization.

However, anyone can provide written public comment by sharing directly with Questions.IDEC@illinois.gov with the subject line, ‘FY28 Budget Listening Session Public Comment’. The deadline for submitting written comments is September 18. All public comment, regardless of the submission format is prioritized and reviewed by IDEC.

Thank you for your ongoing engagement and for your dedication to early childhood. Let’s continue working together to strengthen opportunities for children and families across Illinois.

We look forward to hearing from you!