DCAEYC team joined a virtual town hall this week hosted by Under 3 DC, where educators, parents, advocates, and program leaders heard new details from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, OSSE, about changes to the DC Child Care Subsidy Program and the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund. OSSE officials said the District will begin a waitlist for new child care subsidy enrollments on May 12, 2026, citing budget constraints and rising program costs. Famili

The Office of the State Superintendent of Education, OSSE, has announced important changes to the DC Child Care Subsidy Program that will affect enrollment and attendance policies across the District. These updates carry serious implications for families, early childhood programs, and early childhood care professionals working every day to support children’s learning, care, and well-being. According to OSSE, a waitlist for new subsidy enrollments will take effect on May 12, 2

On March 18, educators, families, advocates, and community leaders gathered at the Wilson Building for A Day Without DC Child Care , a public call to protect early childhood funding in the District. The rally came at a moment of growing alarm across the field, just days after OSSE announced that new applicants to the child care subsidy program will be placed on a waitlist beginning May 12, citing continued enrollment growth and costs exceeding budgeted amounts. Public reporti

Last Friday, the Bowser Administration announced that the District will freeze new enrollment in the child care subsidy program due to funding shortfalls. This decision has immediate and serious implications for families, child care providers, and the stability of the early childhood system across Washington, DC. When the subsidy program closes its doors to new families, the effects reach far beyond enrollment. Working families who rely on child care in order to stay employed

This morning, March 4, 2026, DCAEYC was at the John A. Wilson Building for today’s DC Council oversight hearing , showing up for the early childhood education professionals who keep our city running. Represented by our Executive Director, Berna Artis, we advocated for the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund and the sustained public investments needed to stabilize DC’s early learning workforce. The Pay Equity Fund was created to close the wage gap and strengthen retention