An essential part of Educare DC’s work is serving as a strong advocacy voice and leader in the early childhood education community. To that end, we are an active member of the DC Head Start Association, Under 3 DC, and other early childhood education groups. We also partner with federal advocacy organizations such as the First Five Years Fund, connecting policymakers with early childhood educators and families to share their expertise and on the ground feedback on the impact of federal funding at the community level. Educare DC leverages our location just miles from the U.S. Capitol to host over 70 tours per year, including public officials, policymakers, advocates, funders, and international early childhood experts.
We advocate for policies that advance the Educare Five Public Policy Priorities: universal childcare and early learning, stable and supported families, a thriving early childhood workforce, healthy and supported children, and strong early childhood systems in every community. At the local level, Educare DC staff and Parent Ambassadors have testified before the DC Council to emphasize the importance of quality in early childhood education and to advocate for policies that make early care and education more equitable: more affordable and accessible for families, higher wages for teachers, and higher-quality programs for children.