A short, honest guide to Illinois daycare.
Illinois has a slightly above-average daycare market shaped almost entirely by Chicago and its inner suburbs, with significantly lower costs downstate. Every Illinois parent should understand three things before signing a contract: DCFS licensing, ExceleRate Illinois quality ratings, and the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) subsidy run through your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency.
Preschool For All and Chicago Pre-K
Preschool For All (PFA) is Illinois' state-funded pre-K program, administered by the Illinois State Board of Education, for eligible three- and four-year-olds at school district, community-based, and Head Start sites. Eligibility is income-based plus risk-factor screening. Within Chicago, Chicago Public Schools also operates free full-day Pre-K seats, expanded under the city's universal pre-K commitment. Apply through your district by January for the next fall.
Source: Illinois State Board of Education Preschool For All Annual Report 2024-2025. Chicago Public Schools 2024 Universal Pre-K Expansion Report. Approximately 90,000 three- and four-year-olds enrolled in publicly funded pre-K statewide.
ExceleRate Illinois
ExceleRate is Illinois' Quality Rating and Improvement System. Participating providers earn a Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Award of Excellence designation based on learning environment, staff qualifications, family and community engagement, and management. Gold and Award of Excellence programs significantly exceed minimum DCFS standards. Filter our directory by ExceleRate level.
Illinois licensing and ratios
The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) licenses and inspects every legal child care center, group home, and family home statewide. Center ratios are 1:4 for infants up to fifteen months, 1:5 for fifteen to twenty-four months, 1:8 for two-year-olds, 1:10 for three-year-olds, and 1:10 for four- and five-year-olds. Family child care homes follow separate small-group ratios. Every provider in our directory is cross-checked monthly.
Financial help in Illinois
The Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP) is administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services through your local Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agency. Working families up to a state-set income threshold may qualify, with subsidies portable to participating providers. Illinois has expanded CCAP eligibility several times since 2022. All families can use the federal Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, the Illinois Earned Income Credit, and a Dependent Care FSA if offered through work. Our tax credit explainer walks through the math.
Where Illinois parents tend to overpay
- Premium North Side Chicago centers when a Gold ExceleRate program in a neighboring neighborhood or close-in suburb runs $300 to $700 less per month.
- Paying private preschool tuition for a three- or four-year-old without checking Preschool For All eligibility or Chicago Pre-K availability.
- Registration and supply fees that bundle items families already own, including diapers, wipes, and crib sheets.
Before your first tour, download the free DaycareSquare comparison checklist and the tour questions list.
