“Our heritage is not just something we visit in a museum or look at on a map; it is the blood in our veins and the values in our hearts.” – Rigoberta Menchú
CS3 Updates
Save The Date: 2027 Partner Plan Act Conference
We are excited to announce the 2027 Partner Plan Act (PPA) Conference will be held virtually from May 18–20, 2027! The theme this year is Equity from the Start: Leading Fearlessly. Join us for engaging discussions, insightful sessions and networking opportunities. Join us for engaging discussions, insightful sessions, and networking opportunities.
Be sure to check the Partner Plan Act website, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages regularly to be the first to know when registration opens and secure your spot.
Request for Workshop Proposals
The Partner Plan Act (PPA) conference brings together early childhood collaboration leaders, school districts, program staff, collaboration partners, and others to learn, network, and deepen their community systems development knowledge and skills. Workshop topics from previous years include effective strategies for supporting priority populations, essential mindsets and practices for leading community systems development, coordinated intake systems, family engagement, and much more. A core theme and value of the PPA conferences is racial equity which is embedded throughout the conference design and experience.
This year’s theme is Equity from the Start: Leading Fearlessly. Illinois’ early childhood education and care (ECEC) collaborations are essential to ensuring a racially equitable ECEC system. Collaboration and family leaders are experts in understanding the needs and strengths of their communities – serving as fearless leaders in navigating uncertain and exciting times of change in the state and federal landscape. We want to hear from those that make change happen, who take their unwavering passion for racial equity into bold actions that champion every child’s success.
The conference will be held virtually May 18th, 19th, and 20th, 2027. Workshops will be 90 minutes long (75 minutes for presentation with a recommended 15 minute break). Two presenters are strongly encouraged for all workshop proposals. Selected presentations will be offered a $200 honorarium per presentation (only one individual or agency will receive the honorarium while that individual or agency may take responsibility of distributing the honorarium amongst presenters separately).
Baseline expectations are that applicants are familiar with or have explored Partner Plan Act, past conferences, and community systems development work.
Please submit all proposals to partnerplanact@actforchildren.org with the subject line “Workshop Proposal – [Workshop Title] for 2027 PPA Conference” by December 4th, 2026. For additional information or questions please contact Aziza Hummeid at aziza.hummeid@actforchildren.org Please prioritize this deadline as we will not accept any submissions afterwards. You will be notified of decisions by early February.
Submit Your 2027 PPA Conference Workshop Proposal
Upcoming Trainings
Family engagement peer learning
Three-Part Hybrid Series Starting November 5, 2026
Join the Family Engagement Peer Learning Series to talk through ideas, troubleshoot obstacles, and learn from other Illinois early childhood collaborations. The three sessions will span the year to allow for connections with other collaborations at crucial points of the family engagement process.
Peer Learning Exchange Part 1: PAASSS Site Visit | November 5, 2026 (In-person)
Discuss family engagement plans for the year and gain inspiration from the members of Parents and Agencies Aligning for Stronger Support Systems (PAASSS). Tour the collaboration’s space while learning about their successful family engagement initiatives, including:
- COFI parent leadership trainings
- Plano Families with Vision the Family Council for PAASSS
- Playgroups
- Developmental screenings
- IRIS
Peer Learning Exchange Part 2: Action Learning & Troubleshooting Obstacles | February 23, 2027 (Virtual)
Peer Learning Exchange Part 3: Evaluation and Planning for the Future | April 20, 2027 (Virtual)
This training is eligible for Gateways credits and certificates issued in partnership with The Center: Early Childhood Professional Learning.
Please note: the first meeting is in person, and the last two will be virtual. This series will not be recorded.
Other Events & Updates
will county early childhood action forum
Monday, October 26 | 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. | Joliet, IL
oin families, child care providers, educators, advocates, and community partners for a regional conversation about the latest state, federal, and local developments affecting young children and families in Illinois.
Dinner, Spanish interpretation, and child care will be provided!
Training Opportunities in Collaboration with The Center: Early Childhood Professional Learning
- Tuesday, October 13 — Enhancing Collaboration through Communication between Families and Early Childhood Professionals
- Wednesday, October 21 — Administrator Forum Session II – Implementing High Quality Inclusion: Evidence-Based Practices to Support Your Program
View The Center’s Training Calendar
WeConnect
WeConnect is designed to bring together members who are dedicated to advancing community systems development in the early childhood education and care world.
WeConnect gives you access to:
- Online Communities: Connect with your collaboration, get early childhood and community systems development news, and meet other collaborations members online.
- Discussions: Ask questions and share your knowledge and ideas.
- Resource Libraries: Share and find the resources you need.
- Member Directory: Get in touch with other collaboration members.
Check your spam folder if you have not received a confirmation email.
On-Demand Learning
Partner Plan Act’s on-demand learning provides Gateway-accredited online courses free of charge to collaboration members, early childhood advocates, and community members.
Resources
Access Printing Support
The CS3 team is continuing to offer support in partnership with American Color Labs for printing services. If your local early childhood collaboration has marketing materials that you’d like to print, please complete this request for support form.
Printing support can include flyers, annual reports, marketing collateral, stickers, banners, posters, and more. Please reach out to the CS3 team if you have questions about this support.
PLEASE NOTE: This is a service provided specifically to early childhood collaborations. Unfortunately, we cannot accommodate requests for individual programs.