| |  | Alliance ‘26 Legislative Agenda Issue Spotlight – Issue Status Updates – 3/30 The Alliance is continuing to host virtual Issue Spotlights that will focus on issues from our 2026 Legislative Agenda. The next session will be held Monday, March 30, from 3:00 to 4:00 pm, and will provide updates on the status of all of the issues on the Alliance’s ‘26 Legislative Agenda as the Legislature continues its session. Led by Matt Levin, the Executive Director of the Alliance, this session is a great opportunity to learn more about the issues on our Agenda, where things stand in the Legislature, and how to get involved. Register on Zoom to receive the meeting link. | | | |  | ECDL 2026 Highlights On March 11, 2026, more than 200 early childhood professionals, providers, parents, employers, and business owners gathered for Early Childhood Day at the Legislature (ECDL), held at the Capitol Plaza Hotel and the Vermont State House. The standout moment of the Day was the legislator lunch, where 74 lawmakers joined attendees and heard directly from Vermont’s early childhood community about key issues currently under consideration. Continue reading for photos and a recap of the Day, and remember to save the date for the 33rd annual ECDL on March 10, 2027! | | | | Hosted each year by the Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance, this event brings together advocacy, learning, and connection in one place. The day was made possible with support from 15 sponsors, including funders, agencies, organizations, providers, and businesses. The informal kickoff of the Day began in the State House cafeteria, where advocates used the opportunity to talk with legislators about early childhood issues over coffee. The formal events began with comments from Elle Oille-Stanforth, Committee Assistant to the Senate Appropriations Committee, who encouraged attendees to fully participate in the process and that their input made a difference in the decisions legislators made every day. | |  | The Day featured issue-focused workshops led by organizations spearheading priorities in the Alliance’s 2026 Legislative Agenda. At lunchtime, three packed meeting rooms at the Capitol Plaza set the stage for direct conversations between early childhood stakeholders and policymakers. Attendees discussed key 2026 priorities, including access to health care and social supports, emergency shelter, child care, and continued funding for programs like Vermont 211 and nutrition programs, among other critical issues. | | | | | | Following lunch, attendees moved into afternoon sessions that covered a range of topics, including the fundamentals of advocacy, support for child care programs considering expansion, and updates from the Paid Leave Coalition. We are grateful to all of Vermont's advocates for lending their voice towards policy change and for their important work on behalf of Vermont’s children and families! Thank you to everyone who was part of this wonderful event this year. We look forward to seeing you again next year. | |  | | | | |  | | | | | The Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance is a statewide coalition formed in 2000 of early childhood professionals, parents, organizations, businesses, and strategic partners committed to improving public policies that impact young children between birth and age eight in the areas of health, safety, food security, economic security, and early care and education. The Alliance crafts an annual Legislative Agenda in partnership with early childhood organizations, provides year-round advocacy support, and facilitates meaningful interactions with policymakers at key times during the decision making process. | | | | 7 School Street | Montpelier , Vermont 05602 vecaa.org The Vermont Early Childhood Advocacy Alliance is a program of the Vermont Community Loan Fund. | | | | | | | | | |
