The DC Council’s budget vote marked an important step toward a win for early childhood education in Washington, DC. After sustained advocacy from early childhood education professionals, families, members, partners, and coalitions, the Council moved critical funding back toward early learning programs, including the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and the Child Care Subsidy Program. The vote helped protect key investments that directly affect educator wages, family a

On Tuesday, June 9, DCAEYC will be at the John A. Wilson Building alongside DC Action, Under 3 DC, and community partners as the DC Council is expected to take its first vote on the Fiscal Year 2027 budget. This vote will have a direct impact on children, families, early learning programs, early childhood education professionals, and essential services across the District. Unless the Council acts to raise revenue and reverse proposed cuts, programs that many DC residents depe

DCAEYC hosted an in-person conversation with Hannah Matthews, Interim Deputy Superintendent of Early Learning at OSSE, bringing early childhood program administrators and attendees together for a direct discussion about licensing, quality systems, communication, family support, and the operational realities facing early learning programs across Washington, DC. The gathering was structured as a fireside chat, with questions submitted in advance and additional discussion from a

At a rally that brought together representatives from across the District, including DCAEYC, DC Action, Under 3 DC, DC Fiscal Policy Institute, the DC Healthcare Alliance, Paid Family Leave advocates, revenue justice partners, and early childhood education leaders, participants carried a clear and urgent message to councilmembers: early childhood education, paid family and medical leave, health coverage, and revenue justice are deeply connected priorities in DC’s FY2027 budg

This June, many DC voters will encounter a different kind of ballot. For the first time in a DC primary election, residents will use Ranked Choice Voting, a system that allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting only one. With the primary set for June 16, voter education has become an essential part of helping residents feel prepared before they cast their ballots. On May 12, DCAEYC hosted a nonpartisan educational session in partnership wit