On Tuesday, October 21, the District of Columbia Association for the Education of Young Children (DCAEYC), alongside partners from the Under 3 DC Coalition, gathered at the Wilson Building to advocate for the full funding of the Pay Equity Fund. From early in the morning, DCAEYC’s Interim Executive Director, Berna Artis, stood with early childhood educators, families, and advocates to urge DC leaders not to reduce salaries for the city’s early educators. “We have been here si

Next week, the DC Council will vote on legislation that could lead to deep and uneven pay cuts for early childhood educators across the District. The Pay Equity Fund was created to ensure that DC’s early educators are paid fair, professional wages for the essential work they do every day. This year, however, the Mayor and Council failed to fully fund the program, and the proposed legislation could result in some educators facing pay reductions up to three times higher than ot

DCAEYC is proud to announce to our member the launch of a new Directors’ Nook Leadership Series , a four-part, in-person professional development opportunity created to strengthen leadership, vision, and connection across the District’s early childhood community. Building on the success of past Directors’ Nook gatherings, this new series brings a refreshed approach designed for the moment we’re in: one that emphasizes collaboration, real-world problem-solving, and peer suppor

DC’s early childhood professionals are once again facing an urgent challenge. The Pay Equity Fund, established to ensure fair and professional compensation for early educators, was not fully funded for the current fiscal year. As a result, the DC Council is now considering legislation that could create deep pay gaps within our workforce. If enacted as proposed, some lead teachers could experience pay reductions nearly three times higher than others, undermining the stability

On Saturday, October 11, our DCAEYC team joined early childhood educators, leaders, and community partners at the 2025 DC Men in ECE City-Wide Conference at UDC Community College. This year’s theme, Caring with Confidence: The Dual Role of Men in Early Childhood Education , celebrated the leadership and essential contributions of men across the early learning field. DCAEYC was proud to be on site with our table, sharing resources, connecting with members, and engaging in thou