Regional Office of Education (ROE) #13 
Preschool for All Program


What is Preschool for All? 
Preschool for All is a high-quality educational program for children ages three and four years old. The program is completely free of charge. Parents will not lose their childcare subsidy payments if they enroll their children in the Preschool for All Program.

Why should I enroll my child? 
Children begin learning the minute they are born. Language, letter and number skills and the ability to get along with others develop during a child’s earliest years and help them get ready for school. Children who participate in Preschool for All:
  • Are more likely to be prepared and succeed in school
  • Learn to get along well with classmates and teachers
  • Have higher IQ scores and fewer social/behavioral problems when they enter kindergarten and/or first grade

Some of the long-term benefits of early childhood education include: greater parental involvement, fewer referrals to special education or remedial services, higher grades, better social skills, and greater ability to focus.

What kind of program is this?
The programs are half-day or full-day programs, Monday through Friday. All preschool classrooms follow the respective school calendars. Activities are developmentally appropriate for children ages three to five and teachers provide a learning environment where your child experiences success to learn and grow. All children must be screened before they can be enrolled in the program. 

What is the purpose of the screening? 
A developmental screening tool will be used with each child in a "game" format. The games provide information about the child's social, fine motor, gross motor, and language development. All children grow and develop at different rates. A detected delay may improve with specific developmentally appropriate activities through home and school interaction.  

What curriculum does the preschool program use and why?
The preschool classrooms use the Creative Curriculum. This curriculum is developmentally appropriate for use in the preschool classroom and helps foster creativity. The curriculum also follows the Early Learning Standards set forth by the Illinois State Board of Education. Eight different learning areas are covered by the Early Learning Standards: Language; Mathematics; Science; Social Studies; Physical Health and Development; Fine Arts; Foreign Language; Social and Emotional Development.

** this information was copied from the ROE webpage **