ExceleRate Illinois

ExceleRate™ Illinois supports and recognizes continuous quality improvement in early learning and development programs. Incentives are offered toward achieving an ExceleRate Illinois Circle of Quality, and others are available once a Circle of Quality has been awarded.  With these incentives, Illinois is helping to ensure that the infants, toddlers and preschoolers in your care are prepared for school and life.

Incentives toward achieving a Circle of Quality:

Quality Improvement Funds
Local Child Care Resource & Referral (CCR&R) Agencies offer funds to support continued quality improvement for child care programs.  Quality Improvement Funds are designed to assist child care programs to improve program quality and achieve or advance an ExceleRate Illinois Circle of Quality.  Funds are provided by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). For more information on Quality Improvement Funds contact your local CCR&R.

Incentives once a Circle of Quality is awarded:

Family and Community Recognition
Once a program is found eligible for a Circle of Quality many tools and resources are made available to help you promote this higher level of Quality to families and your community. From a personalized press release to, logos that are available for letterhead and parent handouts, you can let families know about your achievement.  
Child Care Assistance Program Add-on
Licensed centers who care for children on the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and achieve the Silver or Gold Circle of Quality, can receive a quality add-on to the CCAP reimbursement rate for the CCAP children in their program.  For licensed programs awarded the Silver Circle of Quality a 10% CCAP quality add-on is applied and for Gold Circle of Quality programs a 15% CCAP quality add-on is awarded.  Once eligible for a Silver or Gold Circle of Quality, any program changes (change in license number, change in FEIN/SSN/Provider number) must be reported to INCCRRA, as well as your local CCR&R CCAP staff.  Your add-on could be affected within the CCAP payment system if not reported timely to INCCRRA.  Providers are responsible for reviewing monthly payments for accuracy and reporting possible add-on errors immediately to INCCRRA.   Retroactive payments will not be issued. 

Note:
At the Silver or Gold Circle of Quality, Licensed programs are eligible to receive a quality add-on if serving children through the IDHS Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) and include community-based child care programs, community-based Child Care Head Start Collaboration and Child Care Preschool for All Collaboration programs, and part day private preschools. 

ExceleRate Illinois Web Store

A specialized web store is available only to programs that have achieved a Circle of Quality to purchase low cost items to promote your Circle of Quality.  Items available include banners, window signs, polo shirts, cups and more.  Use the links below to browse the web store items available by Circle of Quality.  

Bronze Circle of Quality web store https://shopinccrra.com/excelerate-bronze/
Silver Circle of Quality web store https://shopinccrra.com/excelerate-silver/
Gold Circle of Quality web store https://shopinccrra.com/excelerate-gold/