First funded by the State of Illinois in 2001, the Illinois Early Learning Project is a source of evidence-based, reliable information on early care and education for families, caregivers, and teachers of young children in Illinois. The project operates through the College's Department of Special Education and the IEL team works out of the Children's Research Center in Champaign. This year 2026, they are celebrating 25 years of strengthening early childhood education throughout Illinois!
For their milestone anniversary, the Illinois Early Learning Project team created a timeline of key accomplishments and historical milestones from their first 25 years. From founding Project Investigator Dr. Lilian Katz' time to today, check out everything the Illinois Early Learning Project provides to benefit the youngest learners in Illinois.
