Center for Best Practices

The Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education

Mission

The mission of the Center for Best Practices in Early Childhood Education is to promote family-centered, research-based practices designed to improve educational opportunities for all young children.

Goals that Support the Mission

  1. Serve as a resource center on a variety of topics and needs related to improving learning opportunities for all young children.
  2. Promote inclusion, transition, and other research-based practices which lead to improved child outcomes.
  3. Deliver professional development and training events, networking opportunities, technical assistance, and consultation services to early childhood educators, early intervention providers, families, therapists, preservice personnel, college and university faculty, and school administrators.
  4. Provide credentialing and enrollment services to Illinois early intervention providers, thereby ensuring early intervention services are delivered by professionals trained to meet the unique needs of infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families.
  5. Create and/or disseminate materials, resources, print and video products which promote best practices and which can be used by a wide audience to support and extend young children's learning.
  6. Encourage best practices and enhance child development through collaboration with state and national professionals and organizations.
  7. Offer networking opportunities for families of young children with special needs.
  8. Serve as a resource to WIU faculty and students, as well as to early childhood professionals and preservice personnel in our region, throughout Illinois and—via our websites, webinars, and products—throughout the U.S. and world.
  9. Obtain external funding to support the Center's work.