Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM)

Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM) provides early childhood data and maps to inform communities and strengthen policy in Illinois. IECAM, housed on the University of Illinois campus within the College of Education, is funded by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS). IECAM’s mission is to provide dynamic, in-depth early childhood data and maps to local and state agencies and other stakeholders for service planning, all in the interest of transparency and improving outcomes for Illinois children. IECAM supports data-guided decision-making for policy makers, legislators, administrators, grant writers, educators, early childhood advocates, researchers and the general public. IECAM provides a quick snapshot of where children birth through age 5 live and the capacity of services available to them. IECAM also presents demographic data, including population, poverty level, language, and employment characteristics of families with children. ECAM gives users several options to view data from a wide range of data sources (e.g., U.S. Census, Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Department of Public Health), including tabular data from a searchable online database and interactive maps at multiple geographic levels (e.g., counties, legislative districts, school districts). IECAM also puts data into context with various levels of analysis, ranging from a broader view (Spotlight on Stats) to more detailed reports (Technical Reports). Data Reports provide explanations of data sources, data types, and the advantages and limitations of using different types of data.