Illinois child care staff training & qualifications
Annual training hours and director/lead-teacher minimums. This page isolates the configured Illinois figures, related explanations, and primary source links from the full licensing guide.
Cited to 89 Ill. Admin. Code 407Verified June 2026Summary only, not legal advice
Annual training hours
- 15 hours/year of ongoing training for each staff member
- 15 hours/year for the director
Common required courses
Minimum qualifications
Director
21+, HS diploma/GED; post-7/1/2017 hires need an ECE associate (or 64 sem hrs incl. 21 in CD/ECE) + a director credential/leadership coursework (89 IAC 407.130)
Lead teacher
19+, HS diploma/GED + 60 sem hrs incl. 6 in CD/ECE; OR 1 yr experience + 30 sem hrs incl. 6 in CD/ECE; OR approved credential (CDA/Gateways L3+) (89 IAC 407.140)
Citation: 89 Ill. Admin. Code 407
Illinois staff training & qualifications FAQ
What qualifications does an Illinois day care center director need?
A director must be at least 21 and hold a high school diploma or GED. Directors hired after July 1, 2017 must also hold an ECE associate degree (or 64 semester hours including 21 in child development/early childhood education) plus a director credential or leadership coursework. Lead teachers have a separate set of qualifying pathways.
How many annual training hours are required for staff in Illinois?
Both the director and each staff member must complete 15 in-service clock hours of training per year. Centers should also ensure required safe-sleep and medication-administration training is in place for applicable staff.
Disclaimer: The figures on this page are a plain-English summary of Illinois requirements; always confirm current rules and details directly with IDEC before making operational decisions. This page is a summary for informational purposes only and is not legal or compliance advice. Confirm with Illinois Department of Early Childhood.