Principles of Management
Self-paced online Principles of Management course (Business 101). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →IllinoisChild care
The 3-hour management requirement for new Illinois directors
By the team. Checked 15 Nov 2026.
The short answer
The 3 hours of management for Illinois directors is one of three choices on the 64-hour route: 3 semester hours of college credit in administration, leadership or management, the Gateways Level I Illinois Director Credential, or 3 points of credential-approved training. 225 ILCS 10/6.3 sets this from 1 July 2027, matching the current rule. Ask licensing in writing which course counts.
Where the requirement comes from
Directors who use the hours route need 64 semester hours with 21 in child development, plus one item that shows management preparation. Section 6.3 of the Child Care Act, added by Public Act 104-0773 and effective 1 July 2027, lists the three options; the current licensing rule at 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(e)(2) works the same way. Directors with an associate degree in child development or early childhood education do not need this item under 6.3(1).
The three options
Pick the one that suits your time and budget.
| Option | What it is | Things to weigh |
|---|---|---|
| 3 semester hours | A college course in administration, leadership or management (4.5 quarter hours) | Also adds to your 64 hours |
| Gateways Level I Director Credential | The Illinois director credential from Gateways to Opportunity | Its own requirements; ask Gateways |
| 3 points of training | Credential-approved training in administration, leadership or management | Does not add college hours |
Why a college course can be the efficient choice
A 3-credit course does two jobs: it meets the management item and adds 3 hours toward the 64. If you are short of general hours, that saves time. Courses such as Principles of Management or Foundations of Leadership cover planning, staffing, motivation and team leadership, which match a director's daily work.
Our Principles of Management and Foundations of Leadership are NCCRS-recommended. They count once an accredited college posts them, via a college transcript, and licensing decides whether they meet the item. UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited.
What to ask before you enrol
Send your licensing representative the course name, the syllabus and the college that will post it. Ask whether it will count as administration, leadership or management for 407.130(e)(2). Ask the college whether it will post the course and how many credits it will show.
Keep both replies with your transcripts in the centre's personnel file.
If licensing asks for more detail, send the course outline with its topics and hours, and the credit recommendation from the evaluating body. A short written reply from licensing is worth keeping, because a later licensing visit may ask how the director met the requirement, and a dated email answers that quickly and plainly.
If you already have some hours
Check your transcript for business, management or leadership courses taken earlier. A past course may already meet the item, even if it was taken for another degree. Ask licensing to confirm before taking a new one.
If you are close to 64 hours but have no management course, the college course is usually the quickest way to finish both at once.
Timing
A self-paced course can be finished in a few weeks around a full-time job. Allow time for the college to post the credit and for an official transcript to reach your centre. If you are an interim conditional director under the new law, you must complete the management item within the 12-month period.
What to ask in writing
Before you enrol
Ask your Department of Early Childhood licensing representative in writing whether your planned general hours and management course will count, and ask the college in writing which courses it will post, before you enrol.
UPI Study is not a college and is not accredited. ACE and NCCRS review our courses and recommend credit; a college decides whether to give that credit and records it on its own transcript.
ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
Questions people ask
Does Principles of Management count as the 3 hours?
It is a likely fit because it is a management course, but licensing decides. Send your licensing representative the syllabus and ask in writing before you enrol, and confirm that an accredited college will post the credit.
Do I need the management item with an associate degree?
Under Section 6.3(1), an associate degree in child development or early childhood education from an accredited college meets the requirement on its own. The management item applies to the 64-hour route. Check with licensing for your case.
Is the Gateways credential better than a course?
It depends on what else you need. A college course also adds hours toward 64; the credential has its own requirements and recognition in Illinois. Ask Gateways about its current requirements and compare.
Courses that fit
ACE-recommended or NCCRS-recommended courses, studied online at your own pace.
Foundations of Leadership
Self-paced online Foundations of Leadership course (Business 205). NCCRS recommends 3 semester credits; each college decides how it applies them.
See the course →Start when you have it in writing
Management, leadership and general courses are on PRO. Ask the college and licensing in writing first.
Sources
- Illinois General Assembly: Public Act 104-0773 (HB4587), Child Care Act of 1969, Sections 6.3 and 6.5 (official)Sec. 6.3: directors hired on or after the effective date need (1) an associate degree from an accredited college or university in child development or early childhood education, or (2) 64 semester or 96 quarter hours in any discipline with at least 21 semester or 31.5 quarter hours from an accredited college in child development, early childhood education or early childhood special education, plus a Gateways Level I Illinois Director Credential, 3 semester or 4.5 quarter hours in administration, leadership or management, or 3 points of credential-approved training. Sec. 6.5: interim conditional directors for 12 months while completing 89 Ill. Adm. Code 407.130(e)(2), with 2 years or 3,120 hours as a teacher at the centre and 64 hours with 15 or 21 in early childhood; repealed 30 June 2032. Act effective 1 July 2027. Checked on 15 Nov 2026.