Brightpoint·Chicago, Illinois
The Early Childhood Teacher will utilize Head Start, Early Head Start, and Creative Curriculum to foster the physical, emotional, and cognitive development of children through play and hands-on activities. This role involves developing individualized lesson plans and meeting with parents to ensure optimal student outcomes.
Brightpoint invites you to join our team of mission-driven staff who share a common vision: an equitable world where all children and families thrive in strong communities. As a leader in the human services sector for 140 years, we aim to advance the well-being of children by investing in families and strengthening communities through data-informed, collaborative, and preventative solutions.
The Early Childhood Teacher is a critical member of the Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center team, using Head Start, Early Head Start, and Creative Curriculum® to enhance the physical, emotional, and cognitive growth of children through play and hands-on experiences. As an Early Childhood Teacher, you will develop individualized lesson plans and meet with parents to support the best outcomes for your students. As an Early Childhood Education Center with NAEYC accreditation and ExceleRate Gold Circle of Quality designation, you’ll be proud to be part of the Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center team, and with our cohesive team style and supportive, high quality supervision, you’ll look forward to coming back each day.
Associate's Degree in Child Development or a closely related field with 18+ hours of ECE credits required OR Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) and enrollment in a college program in Child Development, Early Childhood Education, or closely related field with at least 30 credit hours completed, including 12 hours in Early Childhood Education.
Ability to obtain an Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Early Childhood Education Level 4 credential within 12 months of employment required.
Ability to obtain an Illinois Gateways to Opportunity Infant Toddler Level 4 credential within 12 months of employment required.
A minimum of 1 year experience working with children and/or families required.
Bilingual in Spanish preferred.
(Candidates without the required degree/credentials may be considered with an approved educational plan).
Compensation: Salary range is between $50k-$55k; offers are commensurate with experience and bilingual candidates may receive additional compensation. The salary range provided represents our current estimate for this role at the time of posting and is subject to change. The final salary will be determined based on a range of factors, including but not limited to, a candidate's relevant experience, education, qualifications, skills, certifications, and alignment with organizational needs. We are dedicated to fair and equitable compensation practices and are committed to fostering a diverse workforce while providing equal opportunities for all candidates.
Benefits: Medical/dental/vision insurance, three scheduled weeks of paid time off each year (Spring, Summer, Winter), and additional flexible paid leave that accrues based on tenure; 11 paid holidays, supplemental insurance options, 401(k) with match, (more benefit details here [https://brightpointbenefits.com/]).
Location: Classroom setting Mitzi Freidheim Englewood Child & Family Center. [https://www.google.com/maps/place/1701+W+63rd+St,+Chicago,+IL+60636/@41.7790929,-87.6694717,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x880e2e5288ec6dcf:0xd0c76ec5435de812!8m2!3d41.7790929!4d-87.667283]
Schedule: Full-time, salaried; center is open
Mon-Fri, 7:30am-5:30pm; assigned shifts will vary.
Student
Loan
Forgiveness: Brightpoint is an approved agency for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) [https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service].
Candidates must possess an Associate's Degree in Child Development or a related field with 18+ ECE credits, or a CDA with specific college credit completion, and must obtain Illinois Gateways Level 4 credentials for both Early Childhood Education and Infant Toddler within 12 months. A minimum of one year of experience working with children or families is required, and bilingualism in Spanish is preferred.
Market context
Illinois classroom teacher roles are typically in steady demand, especially in districts seeking candidates who can support diverse student needs and communicate clearly with families and staff. This type of role is competitive because employers often look for classroom experience plus related backgrounds such as sociology, psychology, counseling, or education, and bilingual skills in English, Spanish, or Portuguese can strengthen an application. Review the AI-summarized requirements and benefits on this platform to save research time, then tailor your resume to highlight public speaking experience and weekend availability if you have it.