Publications

The next mayor of the District of Columbia should announce Childcare for All at the start of the new administration, setting a bold vision that every family can access high-quality childcare and no family pays more than 7% of its household income for care.

My testimony will focus on the urgent need for strong and sustained funding for the early childhood education system, specifically the child care subsidy program and the Pay Equity Fund. Thank you Mr. Chairman, and to all the Councilmembers who have expressed their support to protect critical early childhood education funding.

For DC’s early childhood system to function, the Council must fully fund both the Child Care Subsidy Program and the Pay Equity Fund. Together, these investments make the system work - one ensures families can access care, while the other ensures there are qualified educators and stable programs to provide it.

The Mayor’s proposal eliminates the salary component of the Pay Equity Fund - a roughly $60 million cut in FY27 - while maintaining $12 million for HealthCare4ChildCare. It fundamentally undermines the program's purpose: ensuring that early educators are paid comparably to DCPS teachers.

On December 18, 2025, the Under 3 DC coalition published a memo outlining guiding principles for how the District should implement a potential waitlist for the Child Care Subsidy program in a way that prioritizes transparency, coordination, and clear communication with families and providers.

The Pay Equity Fund is the nation’s first dedicated public funding stream designed to close the pay gap between early childhood educators and public school teachers, reflecting a commitment to recognizing early educators—disproportionately women and women of color—as essential to the education system.

Yesterday, April 9, 2026, DC Action and DC Fiscal Policy Institute, executive committee members of the Under 3 DC Coalition, released new public polling showing overwhelming support for early education investments and innovative tax solutions, with support cutting across race, geography, and family status.

The Pay Equity Fund increases compensation (pay and benefits) for DC’s early educators, helping to grow and stabilize the workforce and increase the quality of care and education for young children.

By working together to provide families with the affordable early childhood development experiences their children need to grow up healthy, ready to learn, and prepared to prosper, we take important steps toward eliminating child poverty, reducing racial disparities, and growing the District’s economy – outcomes that buttress your growth agenda.

"For the first time in my teaching career, I felt truly seen and valued for my work. Financially, I could finally breathe. I returned to school to continue my education and began paying down my student debt. I was able to move into a safer, more stable home. The additional money gave me the security I needed to keep doing what I love most—teaching DC’s youngest children."