Iowa AEYC

Day Without Child Care is happening May 12, and we wanted to take a moment to explain the importance of this day. Day Without Child Care, spearheaded by our partners at Community Change Action, has been a day to rally together as providers and as a field to advocate for increased access, affordability, and quality of child care while increasing the stability of the child care workforce. The name, Day Without Child Care, is a day meant to imagine what our communities and economies would look like without the crucial service that is child care. It is an opportunity to make your voice heard and for others to recognize the vital needs that are met by our work.

Join us May 2-3 for a fantastic weekend of professional development!

Last week, Iowa AEYC sent a team to spend time in Washington D.C. at the annual NAEYC Public Policy Forum! After several days of learning through informative and inspiring sessions, the team went to the U.S. Capitol to engage with our federal legislators! We were able to meet directly with Senator Grassley and Representative Hinson, as well as with staffers from the offices of Senator Ernst, Representative Miller-Meeks, Representative Nunn, and Representative Feenstra. All of the legislators we met with seemed open to what we had to say, and it was a wonderful reminder that making your voice heard matters!

Introducing NAEYC CARES – membership benefit categories built for today’s early childhood professionals on the framework of Community, Advocacy, Resources, Events and Support. Members will now receive: ? Access to HELLO online community & networking opportunities ? Policy & advocacy tools to support the ECE professional ? Exclusive resources, including a new digital magazine ? Professional development opportunities & conference discounts This new model ensures that every educator has access to the resources they need to thrive. Learn more: naeyc.org/cares2025

If you’re wondering about training credits offered at our Spring Institute, look no further! We *do* offer HHS training credit for both days of the Institute! HHS training credits are essential ways to build your program’s quality and IQ4K rating. Friday attendees will receive five HHS credits, while Saturday’s attendees will receive six HHS credits, due to the slightly longer agenda we have for Saturday! All training credit is also NAC-approved.

SAVE THE DATE! This year, Iowa AEYC is once again proud to observe National Day Without Child Care, which this year will take place May 12. More information will be coming soon on how you can get involved with this very important day of advocacy!

The 2025 Week of the Young Child is coming up in a month and a half, and we want to know how you’re going to get involved! In particular, we would love to know if you have any interest in having your local mayor sign a Week of the Young Child proclamation! If you’re interested in this opportunity to advocate in your city, comment below and we’ll send you more details??

We are proud to publish, on behalf of the Iowa Child Care Coalition, our 2025 Legislative Priorities! ICCC was formed to more strategically address Iowa’s child care crisis. The Coalition, through nonpartisan legislative recommendations, seeks to increase access, affordability, and quality of child care while increasing the stability of the child care workforce across Iowa. The coalition members, along with our statewide partners, look forward to supporting these recommendations to create a more accessible, affordable, high-quality child care system sustained by a professional, competitive, and compensated workforce.

We're hiring! Iowa AEYC is seeking a highly skilled and organized candidate to serve as our Controller. Do you know anyone in your network who might be interested in this part-time position?

As 2024 winds to a close, we’re excited to publish our 2024 Impact Report! This report details critical data and information about our programs, activities, and financial condition that contribute to our vision: that each and every child thrives and learns in a society dedicated to ensuring all children reach their full potential. We can’t wait for you to read it!