WASHINGTON — Finding good quality, affordable childcare in D.C. can be challenging. Now, access to childcare in the District could be in jeopardy.
On the final day of public hearings D.C.'s 2025 budget, about 200 early childhood educators, parents and allies gathered on the steps of the Wilson Building for a rally Friday.
That's because one of the initiatives that would be eliminated in Mayor Muriel Bowser's proposed budget is the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund, saving the city $70 million a year. The fund was created in 2021 to achieve pay parity between early childhood educators and their K-12 counterparts. In addition to pay changes, the fund also offered healthcare to workers.
Hundreds of district preschool teachers and advocates protested their unhappiness with the proposed cut after the budget was released.
"It feels like we're balancing the budget on the backs of Black and brown women in the childcare sector," said At-Large Councilmember Christina Henderson. "We told them there is a future in childcare, go get your associate degree, go get your bachelor's degree and now we're going to tell them to go back to making minimum wage?"
Those rallying say they want action to save the fund.
LaDon Love, Executive Director of Spaces In Action DC, helped organize the rally.
"This is so important. We're a part of the Under 3 DC Coalition. This is a coalition of policy groups, organizing groups, base building groups, teacher associations, director associations. All of these folks are coming here to make sure that the Council hears that they need to put that money back into the Pay Equity Fund," Love said.
Although Chairman Mendelson and a majority of councilmembers have strongly and transparently expressed their commitment to restore funding to the Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund, Love said it's not enough.
"We really appreciate the words, but we need action," she said.
Following the rally, some will head inside City Council to testify during Friday's hearings. But the push to restore the fund will continue.
"Everyone understands that we have to raise our voice, but it doesn't stop here. One day is not going to make the difference that we need," Love told WUSA9.
Another rally is scheduled for May 13, during a national day of action, which will include childcare workers from 26 states calling for investments in childcare.
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