The Early Care and Education (ECE) Workforce Advocacy Coalition was founded in April 2020 and currently has more than 50 members across DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

Focus of the Coalition:

  • Ensuring timely, equitable, and adequate resources are allocated to support both the sustainability and resilience of the ECE workforce;

  • Educating parents, providers, policymakers, and the public at large about the importance of investing in the professional development, growth and expansion, and future career pathways for the early educator workforce;

  • Elevating the need for a new ECE business model that is equitable and resilient through time of calm and crises; and 

  • Informing decision-makers in the government, corporate, philanthropy, and community sectors about the critical role of ECE in short- and long-term economic advancement of the county and state.

Maryland General Assembly
Session Highlights

2022

A historic number of ECE-focused bills were proposed and passed this session, many of which were supported by the ECE Coalition and our members. Maryland Family Network, a Coalition member and partner, offers a comprehensive overview of the bills that passed this session here.

2021

This was MMF’s first time engaging in consistent, focused state-level advocacy with the ECE Workforce Advocacy Coalition. Due to the Coalition’s efforts and direct advocacy with state delegates and the Governor’s staff, we contributed to major achievements during this session, including grant funding from the Governor

Joanne Hurt, executive director of Wonders Early Learning + Extended Day, was one of several Coalition members who offered testimony in support of Bill HB0089, which was passed by the Maryland General Assembly and approved by the governor in May 2022. This emergency bill requires the State Department of Education to administer child care stabilization grants (fiscal years 2022 and 2023) to provide financial support to child care providers that have faced financial hardship or suffered an operational burden during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Contact Montgomery Moving Forward (MMF) to join the Coalition and/or to request to attend the next meeting – guests are always welcome!

mmf@nonprofitmoco.org

The ECE Workforce Advocacy Coalition is part of Montgomery Moving Forward’s ongoing work to strengthen the ECE system in Montgomery County. Learn more >

Montgomery Moving Forward is an initiative of Nonprofit Montgomery, and the Coalition is one component of our multifaceted advocacy efforts. Learn more >

Related Resources

U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation

Maryland Family Network

Maryland State Family Child Care Association

Maryland Sate Child Care Association

Washington Area Women’s Foundation Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative

In the News

Wake-Up Call for Child Care as Pandemic Exposes Troubled System (National Conference of State Legislatures)

Md. Child Care Providers Say They Need Higher Enrollment and Funding to Survive (Maryland Matters)

Child-care workers are quitting rapidly, a red flag for the economy (Washington Post)

Our child-care system has been failing women (and men and kids). That may soon change. (Washington Post)