Policy Resource
Washington D.C. passes Birth-to-Three for All DC Act of 2018
This summer, in response to calls from advocates to improve supports for the District’s youngest children, the D.C. Council approved the Birth-to-Three for All DC Act of 2018.
Oksana Kuzmina / Shutterstock
The Birth-to-Three for All DC Act of 2018 focuses on infants and toddlers and builds on the recent success of the District’s universal preschool expansion. The bill offers a roadmap for creating a comprehensive system of supports for children’s healthy growth and development and will take several years to fully fund and implement. Among the plan’s recommendations are fully funding the D.C. child care subsidy program, improving compensation for child development educators, and creating new positions to assist providers with licensing. The plan also calls for strengthening pre- and post-natal support for mothers, expanding mental, physical, and nutritional health programs, and increasing parenting and family supports.
The D.C. Council secured partial funding for the legislation in the FY2019 budget, committing $1.3 million to seed key components such as Healthy Steps, home visiting, increased salaries for early educators, and on-site classes for credentials. While advocates are greatly encouraged by this investment, experts estimate that fully funding the plan will require approximately $500 million over the next ten years.
Read more about:
You might also be interested in
-
Article
Home Visiting and Preschool Development Grants Birth-Five Strategies and Examples
During the summer of 2019, ZERO TO THREE conducted a scan of 2018 State Preschool Development Grant Birth-Five applications posted online and worked with state administrators to describe activities t…
-
Article
Infant and Toddler Child Care and Preschool Development Grants Birth-Five Strategies and Examples
In fall 2019, ZERO TO THREE conducted a scan of 2018 State Preschool Development Grant Birth-Five applications posted online and worked with state administrators to describe activities that had been …
-
Article
-
Article
Thanks to dedicated advocates and policymakers, babies and their families around the country will benefit from state budget boosts in the upcoming year.
-
Article
New York Expands Infant Toddler Specialist Workforce
In the spring and summer of 2019, New York more than doubled the number of full- and part-time Infant Toddler Specialists working to increase the quality of child care across the state.
Explore More District of Columbia Focused Resources & Initiatives
-
Article
Thanks to dedicated advocates and policymakers, babies and their families around the country will benefit from state budget boosts in the upcoming year.
-
Article
-
Article
District of Columbia Launches Early Learning Quality Improvement Network
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser launched the Early Learning Quality Improvement Network (QIN) on March 23, 2015.
-
Article
New licensing regulations in Washington D.C. include minimum education requirements for assistant teachers, teachers, and directors in early care and education settings.
