🗳️ Your Voice = Your Vote: 3 Simple Ways to Shape ECE Policy in 2026

Today's Issue: Why Your Voice Matters; 3 Ways to Advocate; Congress Delivers Good News = 1.25 cups of coffee.

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📣 Why Your Voice Matters More Than Ever in 2026

People Are Speaking Up!: A national survey conducted from Jan. 13–18, 2026 showed bipartisan support is GROWING for ECE across the country.

• Parents need help: 80% say the ability of working parents to find and afford child care is either in crisis or a major problem.

• This is an affordability issue: 82% believe federal child care funding will help lower costs for working families.

• There continues to be strong support (62%) for the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG).

• 74% say funding for ECE is an important and good use of tax dollars.

Want all the details of the survey? Click 👉👉👉 HERE

Quick Reader Poll

🎯 3 Ways to Advocate (That Actually Work)

#1: Invite Your Legislator to Visit Your Center

This is the single most powerful advocacy tool you have. When legislators see the 4:1 ratio in your infant room, watch teachers juggle 15 different tasks before 9am, and meet the families you serve, policy becomes REAL.

How to do it:

Step 1: Find your state representative and state senator using your state's "Find My Legislator" tool (Google "[your state] find my legislator")

Step 2: Email their scheduler (not the legislator directly). Here's a template:

"Dear [Scheduler Name], I'm [Your Name], director of [Center Name] in [Town]. We serve [X] families in [Representative's Name]'s district. I'd like to invite [Rep Name] to visit our center for 30 minutes to see early childhood education in action. We're flexible on timing and can work around their schedule. Would [date range] work?"

Step 3: When they visit, have 2-3 talking points ready:

• One statistic about your families ("80% of our parents work non-traditional hours")

• One challenge you face ("We have a waitlist of 47 families but can't hire qualified staff at current wages")

• One specific ask ("We're asking the state to increase reimbursement rates by X%")

Pro tip: Invite them during a busy time (morning drop-off or lunch) so they see the reality—not a staged show.

#2: Join Your State ECE Coalition

You don't have to advocate alone! Every state has childcare advocacy groups that organize collective action, provide talking points, and amplify your voice.

Here's how to find yours:

• Search "[Your State] early childhood coalition" or "[Your State] childcare advocacy"

• Check the Alliance for Early Success state partners list

• Contact your local Child Care Resource & Referral agency—they'll know!

What coalitions do for you:

• Send advocacy alerts when action is needed

• Provide pre-written letters and talking points

• Give you strength in numbers

Action step: Google your state coalition RIGHT NOW and sign up for their email list. It takes 2 minutes.

#3: Contact Your Legislators (It’s Easier Than You Think)

Think calling your state representative is intimidating? Here's the reality: Most legislator offices get 5-10 calls per week. I like those odds. Your call WILL be noticed. Your email WILL be read (by staff, who then brief the legislator).

The 5-Minute Advocacy Call:

1. Call your state rep's office (find the number via your state legislature website)

2. When staff answers: "Hi, my name is [Name], I'm a constituent from [Town], and I run a childcare center serving [X] families."

3. State your issue in ONE sentence: "I'm calling to ask [Rep Name] to support increased funding for childcare in this year's budget."

4. Add ONE personal story: "Without increased rates, I'll have to close my infant room, leaving 12 families without care."

5. End with: "Can you please let [Rep Name] know I called? Thank you!"

That's it. You just advocated.

Bonus: Child Care Aware of America has tools that make it even easier! They provide talking points, email templates, and resources to help you contact your lawmakers. Check out their Take Action page 👉👉👉 HERE

🎉 PROOF That Advocacy Works:

Congress actually DID something good this month for ECE! On January 20th, the House released the FY2026 appropriations package with funding increases for key ECE programs.

Here's what we got:

• CCDBG: $8.831 billion (up $85 million)

• Head Start: $12.357 billion (up $85 million)

• Preschool Development Grants (PDG B-5): $315 million

These increases aren't HUGE, but they're significant—especially given the current political climate. It shows bipartisan recognition that childcare matters.

Why it happened: Because ECE advocates like you (and major organizations) showed up, spoke up, and made the case. 146 ECE organizations from 36 states sent letters to Congress calling for increased funding.

What this means for you: More federal $$ flowing to states. Whether your state passes those through to providers... well, that's where YOUR advocacy comes in (see three ways above!👆👆).

Want to see the full details? Check out First Five Years Fund's breakdown 👉👉👉 HERE

ECE In The News - With a European Twist

🇬🇧 UK Funding Rate Increases: The UK government announced funding rates for early years providers will rise 4.3% for under-2s and 4.9% for 3-4 year-olds in 2026. While advocates say it's still below what's needed, it's a step in the right direction. Details HERE.

🎓 Poland Sets New Standards: Starting January 1, 2026, Poland implemented mandatory care standards for all childcare settings serving children under 3. The standards cover staff qualifications, ratios, and facility requirements. It's part of their "Active Toddler" program creating 102,000 new childcare spots by 2029. Sometimes we can learn from our European friends! More HERE.

The Internet is a Playground:

📜 On this Day in History: In 1789, George Washington was elected as the first President of the United States by a unanimous vote in the electoral college. All 69 electors chose Washington. It's the only unanimous presidential election in American history. Sometimes unity IS possible! 🇺🇸

🔐 Game: Want to practice for your next “heist?” Crack the safe in this fun game.

🦦 Fun Maps: Want to see every river in the US? Check your area and show the kids the rivers that are in their backyard!

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?