District of Columbia Archives - Alliance for Early Success

How Washington, D.C. Advocates Worked Together to Defend the Nation’s First Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund

November 3, 2026

Since the District of Columbia established the Pay Equity Fund in 2022, it has faced repeated funding threats almost every year. As a result, advocates sustained a coalition and grew a campaign that mobilized educators, families, providers, and policymakers to keep the pressure on. Their success offers lessons for advocates working to protect policy wins long after legislation passes.

In DC and Louisiana, Advocates Unite to Avoid Damaging Funding Cuts

September 12, 2024

In lean budget times, successful advocacy can often take the shape of avoiding deep cuts or even planned eliminations to vital programs. This year, early childhood advocates in the District of Columbia and Louisiana leveraged grassroots voices and strategic messaging to defend investments in child care programs.

DC Advocates Celebrate New, Free Health Insurance Benefit for All Child Care Workers and their Families

September 21, 2022

The District will take another significant step in advancing equitable compensation for child care workers next year when educators and all eligible employees of licensed early learning facilities will be able to access to free, quality, publicly-financed health insurance coverage.

The Under 3 DC Coalition Secures Large Investments Toward Provider Compensation

January 14, 2022

The Under 3 DC celebrates advocacy wins that led to $75 million that DC will use to begin to publicly fund increases in early childhood educators’ compensation. These efforts will begin movement towards a more equitable funding structure for ECE.

DC Advocates Fend Off Early Childhood Cuts with the Power of Coalition-Building

March 30, 2021

Advocates in DC pivoted their 2020 goals to respond to the challenges of the pandemic. Despite obstacles, they preserved funding for early childhood services and secured additional funds to help struggling child care providers. They did this all through the work of a coalition formed specifically to advocate for early childhood funding.