Educare Breaks Ground in Zion, A Lifeline for Lake County's Child Care Desert

ZION, IL – May 11, 2026 – Shovels hit the dirt today in Zion, marking a pivotal moment for families across Lake County. Nonprofit leader Start Early, joined by community partners and local officials, officially broke ground on Educare Lake County, a state-of-the-art early learning center poised to address a critical gap in the region's social infrastructure.

The new facility, located at 1800 27th Street, represents more than just a new building; it’s a direct response to a pressing community crisis. A 2023 assessment identified Lake County as a 'child care desert,' a term for areas where the demand for quality, licensed child care far outstrips the available supply. For countless working parents, this has meant facing impossible choices, struggling to find reliable, affordable, and high-quality care for their youngest children.

When it opens its doors in late 2027, the approximately 38,000-square-foot school will provide full-day, year-round programming for 174 children, from infants as young as six weeks to five-year-olds preparing for kindergarten. The project promises to be a cornerstone for the community, nestled between Shiloh Park and Zion Central Middle Schools.

A Solution for an Underserved Community

The designation of Lake County as a child care desert highlights a systemic challenge. With the average cost of daycare in the county hovering around $929 per month, affordability is a significant barrier for many families, even when spots are available. The scarcity of high-quality options leaves parents in a lurch and can hinder a child's crucial early development.

Educare Lake County is designed to tackle this challenge head-on. The facility will feature developmentally appropriate classrooms, a dedicated STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) room, a library, indoor and outdoor play areas, and spaces specifically for community gatherings and comprehensive family support. The school will be staffed by certified, bilingual teachers and professionals intended to reflect the diverse community it serves.

Zion Mayor Billy McKinney, present at the groundbreaking, emphasized the project's far-reaching impact. "Today's groundbreaking reflects years of collaboration and a shared commitment to families across Zion and Lake County," McKinney said. "Educare Lake County will help ensure more children have the strong start they deserve – supporting working parents, strengthening the local workforce and building a stronger, more vibrant community for generations to come."

Implementing a Proven National Blueprint

This new center is not a standalone experiment but the latest expansion of a nationally recognized, evidence-based framework. Developed by Start Early over 25 years ago, the Educare model has become a gold standard in early childhood education. Beginning with a single purpose-built school in Chicago, the Educare Network has grown to 27 programs nationwide, all focused on serving historically under-resourced communities.

The model's success is built on four pillars: data utilization to inform practices, embedded professional development for staff, high-quality teaching strategies, and intensive family engagement. Research on the Educare model has demonstrated remarkable results. Longitudinal studies show that children who attend Educare programs, many from high-risk backgrounds, enter kindergarten with vocabulary, math, and social-emotional skills at or near the national average. Studies following graduates in Omaha and Tulsa found sustained academic advantages, with children outperforming their peers on standardized tests well into elementary school.

"Educare Lake County represents what is possible when communities come together around a shared commitment to children and families," said Start Early President Diana Rauner. "The Educare model's strength has always come from listening to and learning alongside the communities it serves. We are proud to partner with families, providers and local leaders across Lake County to help build a program that reflects the needs and hopes of the community and expands access to the high-quality early care and learning every child deserves."

Investing in the Workforce and Economic Future

The impact of Educare Lake County is designed to extend beyond its students to the very fabric of the local economy and workforce. The project directly confronts the systemic challenges plaguing the early childhood education field in Illinois and across the country: low wages, limited access to professional training, and consequently, high staff turnover. This instability not only affects the quality and consistency of care but also contributes to the shortage of available spots.

Start Early plans to use the new center as a hub for workforce development. The organization will provide intensive coaching, ongoing professional development, and defined career pathways to help recruit, train, and retain a highly skilled team of educators. By investing in its staff, the program aims to create stable, well-paying careers in a critical sector, improving the quality of education while strengthening the local workforce.

The project is made possible through a significant public-private partnership, anchored by a leadership investment from John and Kathy Schreiber. Their support is joined by contributions from numerous philanthropic organizations, including the Klaff Family Foundation, Gorter Family Foundation, Hunter Family Foundation, The Steans Family, and others who see the profound return on investment in early learning.

To ensure a seamless integration into the community, Start Early has already begun its work in the area. The organization opened interim Early Learning Centers in nearby Beach Park and Waukegan in 2024, allowing it to begin serving families immediately and build the crucial relationships and trust necessary for long-term success, long before the permanent Zion facility welcomes its first child.