Competency Frameworks for Infant and Toddler Teachers and Caregivers in Illinois
Evidence | Publications

Competency Frameworks for Infant and Toddler Teachers and Caregivers in Illinois

OPRE report #2022-321
Published: Dec 30, 2022
Publisher: Washington, DC: Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Human Services Early Childhood Early Childhood Systems Professional Development Child Development Federal
Download
Full Publication
Associated Project

Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC)

Time frame: 2017-2023

Prepared for:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Planning, Research, and Evaluation

Clients
OPRE Logo
Authors

Katie Niland

Christopher Jones

Andrea Mraz Esposito

Pia Caronongan

Key Findings
  • Illinois revised its previous credential, which contained hundreds of benchmarks and descriptors, into the current credential, which consists of 54 competencies and specifies both skills and knowledge areas, to clarify the pathway to credential attainment for infant-toddler practitioners and help integrate the competencies into coursework and trainings.
  • Trainings on competencies are offered both in person and through virtual, self-paced modes and must be reviewed and approved by the state for them to count toward a credential. Institutions of higher education that align their coursework and programs with the competency framework can apply to become entitled institutions, which means their courses have been approved to count toward the credential.
  • Teachers and caregivers are not required to have the credential for a program to become licensed. The Gateways Infant Toddler Credential is embedded in the state career lattice and state quality rating and improvement system.
  • All higher education coursework and training that infant-toddler practitioners take to fulfill requirements for the Gateways Infant Toddler Credential must include an assessment; this assessment determines whether the practitioners have integrated the knowledge and skills gained through the required coursework and trainings into their daily practice.

To support the quality of care for infants and toddlers, many states have developed competency frameworks to outline specific competencies (that is, knowledge, skills, and attributes) that are essential to the practice of teaching and caring for infants and toddlers. The Infant and Toddler Teacher and Caregiver Competencies (ITTCC) project conducted in-depth case studies of five states to learn about the processes and practices that facilitate use of competency frameworks and how competencies in those frameworks are assessed.

This profile provides an overview of the Gateways Infant Toddler Credential, a competency framework that Illinois developed to support early care and education professionals interested in focusing their professional development activities on the care and education of infants and toddlers across setting types.

How do you apply evidence?

Take our quick four-question survey to help us curate evidence and insights that serve you.

Take our survey