ExceleRate Illinois

Licensed Child Care Centers, please review the  Child Care Standards Overview (345 KB) .

Licensed Family Child providers, please review the  Family Child Care Standards Overview (706 KB) . 

New programs interested in applying to ExceleRate via the assessment path must complete the revised applicable ExceleRate Orientation for Licensed Child Care Centers (revised December 2021) or Licensed Family Child Care providers (revised January 2022) available online at https://courses.inccrra.org/.

Please use the checklists available to help you prepare for application and assessment. 

To apply to ExceleRate Illinois you must complete the Licensed Family Child Care and Group Home Application and appropriate Supplement based on the Circle of Quality you choose.

Licensed Family Child Care and Group Home Application (444 KB)
Licensed Family Child Care and Group Home Application - Spanish (362 KB)
All licensed family child care and group home programs must complete this application and the appropriate supplement below.

Bronze Circle of Quality

• No supplement is needed for the Bronze Circle of Quality, complete and mail the Licensed Family Child Care and Group Home Application only.

Silver Circle of Quality

• Silver Circle of Quality Assessment Path Supplement (425 KB)
• Silver Circle of Quality Assessment Path Supplement - Spanish (432 KB)
• Silver Circle of Quality NAFCC Accreditation Path Supplement (415 KB)

Any Family Child Care/Group Home Provider in a Family Child Care Network will need to fill out the Network Supplement (251 KB)  in addition to the Circle of Quality Supplement application.

Gold Circle of Quality

• Gold Circle of Quality Assessment Path Supplement (440 KB)
• Gold Circle of Quality Assessment Path Supplement - Spanish (469 KB)
• Gold Circle of Quality NAFCC Accreditation Path Supplement (609 KB)

Any Family Child Care/Group Home Provider in a Family Child Care Network will need to fill out the Network Supplement (251 KB)  in addition to the Circle of Quality Supplement application.

An appeal process has been established for programs found ineligible at the Silver or Gold Circle of Quality.