Today’s Issue: Under-enrolled centers with waiting lists? Reader poll + ECE in the News = 1 cup of coffee.

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📬 Dolly Parton Keeps Delivering (Literally)

Leave it to Dolly to make early literacy look easy. Oregon's version of the Imagination Library — the beloved program Parton launched to mail free, age-appropriate books monthly to babies and preschoolers — just hit a jaw-dropping milestone: 4 million books mailed to Oregon kids. And now? Every single zip code in the state is covered. That means any family with a child from birth to their 5th birthday can sign up and start receiving books at no cost. Zero. Nada. Free. Oregon got there by locking in a partnership with the Lower Umpqua Library in Reedsport to close the last coverage gap in the state.

For ECE leaders, this is the kind of community tool worth knowing about — and honestly, worth putting on your parent communication board. If your families aren't signed up, it's time to fix that. 👇

→ Sign Up for Free Books Here

📊 POLL: How Does Your Center Stock Up?

🚨 Federal Funding Deadlines Are HERE — Don't Miss Them

The clock is ticking. What every ECE leader needs to know RIGHT NOW.

Congress is deep in the FY2027 appropriations process — and the decisions being made in the next few weeks will directly impact CCDBG funding, Head Start, and other programs centers depend upon. The good news? There are specific, time-sensitive actions you can take. But you have to act this week.

⏰ Key Deadlines:

• March 13 — Deadline for House Members to sign onto the Dear Colleague letter supporting CCDBG (Child Care & Development Block Grant) funding. This is the single largest source of federal child care funding. Your reps need to hear from you now.

• March 17 — FFYF hosts "ABCs of Federal Early Learning" briefing on Capitol Hill for Members of Congress and staff. A critical opportunity to put early learning front and center.

• March 18 — Deadline for House Members to sign letters supporting Head Start and CCAMPIS funding. Miss this window, and your advocacy doesn't make it into the process.

• September 30 — End of the Fiscal Year. Congress must pass a spending package by midnight. Everything being decided right now feeds into that final vote.

💥 Why It Matters:

Nearly $31.3 billion in federal funds annually back early care and education for children birth to five. These aren't abstract numbers — they are the slots in your center, staff salaries, and the subsidies keeping families enrolled.

What you can do right now:

• ✅ Contact your House rep and urge them to sign the Dear Colleague letters before March 13 and 18 → Take Action at FFYF

• ✅ Get up to speed on all federal early learning programs → ABCs of Federal Early Learning

• ✅ Read the full FFYF Capsule for talking points, committee contacts, and more → Read It Here

Advocacy isn't optional right now. Make sure your voice is HEARD before the deadlines.ECE In The News

📰 ECE In The News

🔄 The Child Care Paradox Nobody Can Explain: Here's a head-scratcher. Families are sitting on waitlists. Centers are underenrolled. Both things are somehow true at the same time. The issue isn't a lack of slots — it's that families can't afford them. According to a recent NAEYC survey, 41% of underenrolled programs cited cost as the top reason for empty seats. The data is piling up, and the sector needs answers fast. → Read It Here

💪 Kentucky YMCA Secures $6.6M to Tackle Child Care Desert: In Owensboro, Kentucky, parents have been waiting up to two years for an infant care slot. That's not a waitlist — that's a crisis. Now, the Owensboro Family YMCA is fighting back with $6.6 million in federal funding (secured through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2026) to build a brand-new, 20k square-foot center. The project will add 150 slots for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers — pushing the YMCA's total capacity past 300. Community-led. Federally funded. This is how it gets done. → Read It Here

The Internet is a Playground:

📅 On this Day in History: On March 10, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell made the first successful telephone call in history, speaking these legendary words to his assistant: "Mr. Watson, come here — I want to see you." Just think — 150 years later, we're still figuring out how to get parents to answer their phones. 📞

🗺️ Mapping the Internet: Submarines laying cable lines? Yep, the world is connected in fascinating ways. Check out these maps.

YOUR VOICE COUNTS

Is there a topic you want more info on or want to share a funny story? Then let us know! Shoot us a quick email at [email protected]. This newsletter is for you, and well, you should have a say, don't’ you think?