Cabinet will create a strategic vision for the education and well-being of Illinois’ children
SPRINGFIELD – Governor Bruce Rauner today signed an Executive Order creating the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Youth (the “Children’s Cabinet”) to streamline Illinois’ education and youth efforts across the state.
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“The single most important thing we do as a society is invest in our children’s education,”Governor Rauner said. “The Children’s Cabinet will create a strategic vision for education and health and human services by bringing together all state entities that interact with children into a central unit. It will ensure Illinois children are getting the resources they need and deserve, while expediting true reforms that will transform our education system to ensure a bright future for our students.”
The Children’s Cabinet will formulate a strategic vision for the education and well-being of children and families across Illinois. That vision will include ideas to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the State by reducing bureaucracy and ensuring State agencies are aligned in their programming. The Children’s Cabinet will work with health and human service providers, early childhood programs, elementary schools, high schools and post-secondary institutions to drive the best outcomes for our students in Illinois.
"The Governor's Cabinet on Children and Youth is systematically addressing the fragmented system that currently exists in Illinois," Secretary of Education Beth Purvis said. "Governor Rauner's new structure will support and integrate the State's priorities and initiatives more effectively to identify and address any agency collaboration barriers so we can more thoughtfully and aggressively improve the future for our children."
In addition, the Children’s Cabinet will facilitate strategic partnerships inside State government, as well as with schools and private organizations. Through these partnerships, the cabinet will promote awareness of important issues facing children. In addition, the Children’s Cabinet will provide funding and policy recommendations to the General Assembly.
Illinois is the 18th state in the country to create a cabinet like this in the past 20 years. States utilizing a Children’s Cabinet have improved coordination and efficiency across state agencies and local governments by mobilizing resources around priorities for education, facilitating a comprehensive approach to serving children and strengthening partnerships with the non-profit and private sectors.
The Governor will serve as Chairman of the Children’s Cabinet. The members include:
- Lieutenant Governor
- Deputy Governor
- Director of the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget
- State Secretary of Education
- Superintendent of the State Board of Education
- Director of the Department of Children and Family Services
- Director of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
- Director of the Department of Employment Security
- Director of the Department of Healthcare and Family Services
- Secretary of the Department of Human Services
- Director of the Department of Juvenile Justice
- Director of the Department of Public Health
- Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development
- Director of the Guardianship and Advocacy Commission
- Executive Director of the Board of Higher Education
- Executive Director of the Community College Board
- Executive Director of the Student Assistance Commission
- Director of the Council on Developmental Disabilities
- President of the Illinois Math and Science Academy
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