Pritzker education policy advisor named to head new Department of Early Childhood

SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday appointed Teresa Ramos to be the first permanent secretary of the newly-formed Illinois Department of Early Childhood.

“I’m eager to get started working with an incredible team of state employees, parents and families, advocates, and early childhood providers to create something exceptional that will give every infant, toddler, and young child an opportunity for a strong and healthy start,” Ramos said in a statement.

Pritzker announced plans in 2023 to establish a new agency that would consolidate under one roof a host of state programs currently scattered across several other agencies that serve the needs of families with infants and toddlers. Those include oversight and funding of preschools, childcare centers, home visiting and early intervention programs.

The legislation authorizing the new agency, Senate Bill 1, passed the Senate unanimously in April, and passed the House with bipartisan support in May. Pritzker signed the bill into law in June. The new agency is expected to be fully operational in July 2026.

Ramos, who currently serves in Pritzker’s office as first assistant deputy governor for education, will take over as acting secretary in January. She will take over the job from Irma Martinez Snopek, who was named to serve as acting secretary in August while the search for a permanent secretary continued. Ramos’ appointment is subject to Senate approval.

Before joining the governor’s office in 2022, Ramos served as vice president of public policy, research, and advocacy at Illinois Action for Children, a nonprofit advocacy and research organization that focuses on child care and early childhood education. She also previously worked as director of community engagement for Advance Illinois, an advocacy and research group focused on public education.

Ramos holds a doctoral degree in anthropology with a minor in Latina/Latino Studies from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

“Dr. Ramos has served the state of Illinois admirably in both the public and private sector, and I can think of no person better positioned to shepherd IDEC as it ramps up to full operations,” Pritzker said in a statement. “Her expertise across education, child care, community engagement, and early childhood development make her a leader in her field that I know will lead the new Department to success.”

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