The Bedrock of Our City: Why We Must Protect Early Learning in DC

What is Truly at Stake?

As the Mayor and DC Council grapple with difficult budget decisions, I urged them to consider what happens when we underfund the very systems that allow our city to function. Here is why protecting early childhood investments is critical for the District:

• An Impossible Choice: DC has the highest childcare costs in the country, averaging about $26,000 a year. Meanwhile, the families we support earn an average of $47,000. Without subsidy support, parents are forced to make an impossible choice between contributing to the workforce and stepping away because care is simply out of reach.

• A Proven Foundation: When children have access to high-quality care, they thrive. The proof is in the outcomes. At Martha’s Table, 83% of the children in our early childhood programs transition to kindergarten fully ready to succeed.

• A Powerful ROI: Access to early childhood education isn’t just a social good; it’s an economic engine. According to the First Five Years Fund, every $1 invested in early care generates more than $7 in economic activity.

We Cannot Make Budget Cuts on the Backs of Our Children

Simply put, we cannot build a thriving city if families cannot work and children cannot learn. Our families and our children deserve better, and they deserve more.

I know there are no easy solutions to the enormous budget crisis our city’s leadership is facing, but when we invest in early education, we invest in the brilliance of our youth and the economic resilience of our entire city. I am committed to being part of the conversations focused on solutions.

Stand with DC Families on March 18

I invite you to join me and Martha’s Table on March 18 as we partner with Under 3 DC and a coalition of community champions for the Day Without Childcare. Together, we are standing up to show our District leaders exactly what it looks like when we champion strong DC children, strong DC families, and strong DC communities, because when families can work, and children can learn, we all win.

When: Wednesday, March 18, 2026

Rally Start Time: 9:00 am 

Where: John A. Wilson Building • 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004

Click Here to Register