South Central Reporter

In a recent Facebook post, state Rep. David Friess (R-Red Bud) promoted the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) efforts to help fund preschool programs.

"Illinois ranks 8th in the nation for preschool enrollment – that's pretty awesome!" Friess said in the post. "But some areas do not have enough publicly funded preschool spaces to serve at least 80% of low-income children. We call these areas 'preschool deserts.' To turn them into preschool oases, @IllinoisStateBoardOfEducation has grants available to expand existing programs and to launch new ones."

The 2024 Early Childhood Block Grant is available to public and/or private not-for-profit or for-profit entities that have experience in providing education-related services to young children and their families. The services must be made for use by children and families outside of Chicago. The deadline to return the request for proposals (RFP) for the block grant application is 4 p.m. on June 30.

The ISBE maintains a list of 197 preschool deserts that are a priority for the grant program. The list of school districts includes Darien School District 61, Morris School District 54, DeKalb CUSD428, Bloomingdale School District 13, Waukegan CUSD 60, Eureka CUD 140 and Herrin CUSD 4.

"The 2024 Early Childhood Block Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education is aimed at increasing access to preschool for 3- and 4-year-olds across the state and filling critical gaps in underserved areas," a recent news release from Friess' office said. "Organizations such as schools, daycares, churches, community centers, and more can apply for funding to start or expand a preschool. And there’s help available for new applicants!"

A webinar for technical assistance is available on the ISBE preschool program page. VIsitors can also find the preschool desert map tutorial, FAQs about the proposals and the availability of the Birth to Five Illinois Regional Team to assist in completing the grant, understanding the data and helping applicants find grant-writing support.

Friess is a lifelong Illinois resident who has been representing the 115th District in the Illinois House of Representatives since 2021, the General Assembly website said. His legislative experience includes serving on a variety of committees, including the Adoption & Child Welfare, Cybersecurity, Family Law & Probate, and Higher Ed-Special Topics committees.