DCAEYC at the Wilson Building on March 4: Advocating to Protect the Pay Equity Fund

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 across the sector. Protecting it is essential for program stability, educator wellbeing, and quality for children and families across the District.

Oversight hearings matter because they create a public record of what early childhood education professionals and program leaders are experiencing right now, and what DC must do to protect access and quality. Today’s hearing was part of a broader budget and oversight process that will shape decisions in the months ahead.

Even though today’s hearing has already taken place, advocacy continues. DCAEYC will keep tracking the oversight and budget process, sharing updates, and showing up in Council spaces to push for policies that sustain a stable, fairly compensated early childhood workforce.

If you want to stay informed or get involved in upcoming actions, you can follow our ongoing updates and advocacy resources here.