IL HB1419

Beginning July 1, 2026, state-funded preschool programs may admit children ages 3-5 who do not meet low-income or at-risk eligibility criteria, but only after all reasonable efforts have been made to fill slots with qualifying children first

Programs admitting non-qualifying children must demonstrate to the Department of Early Childhood that they made all reasonable efforts to enroll eligible low-income and at-risk children in available slots

Failure to demonstrate reasonable enrollment efforts for qualifying children may result in a reduction of the program's grant funding

Amends the Department of Early Childhood Act, which currently prioritizes preschool funding for at-risk children and those from families earning less than 4 times the federal poverty level