Kankakee Times

In an Oct. 3 Facebook post, Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Kankakee) reflected on her time as an Erickson Institute Executive Fellow.

 "Last week I concluded my time at the Erikson Institute as an Executive fellow. This program was inspiring and I am honored to have had this opportunity to learn, witness firsthand, and lend my own input to our early childhood education system," Haas posted. "I am ready to continue working with these experts who have shed even more light on some of the biggest challenges in the early childhood system to do better for Illinois families and our youngest residents.”

The Erickson Institute dates back to 1966, when Maria Piers, Lorraine Wallach, and Barbara Taylor Bowman launched the Chicago Institute for Early Childhood Education, today’s Erikson Institute. In 1967, the Child-Parent Center program was established through funding from the landmark Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965.

According to its website, the Erickson Institute's Early Childhood Leadership Academy (ECLA) brings individuals together to share "dynamic and collective learning experiences to enhance racial equity and child development knowledge to influence early childhood policy that leads to positive outcomes for young children and their families."

According to its website, "The program takes an anti-racism approach to public policy knowledge and pairs it with your experience in the field to fortify your skills and elevate your advocacy on early childhood policy. This program considers nominated candidates who are reflective of the communities they serve in Illinois."