FROM INACTION TO ACTION: HOW ONE STATE FORMED A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION TO IMPACT EARLY CHILDHOOD TEACHER PREPARATION

Early childhood teacher educators are a critical voice in advocating for ethical practices that promote the well-being of young children and their families across all early childhood settings. This chapter describes the advocacy efforts of the Illinois chapter of the National Association for Early Childhood Teacher Educators (ILAECTE), a group that grew toward robust participation in response to state-level initiatives that threatened the quality of early childhood teacher preparation. Driven by a shared commitment to the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s Code of Ethical Conduct, their advocacy efforts have proven successful in multiple arenas. In this era of significant postsecondary budget and teacher shortages, ILAECTE members continue to follow the Code as they educate and advocate for quality early childhood education across ages and settings in Illinois.