Public Policy and Advocacy
Policy Commitment Statement
WAEYC is committed to advancing public policies that promote anti-racist practices, equitable access to early learning, and a thriving workforce. Our priorities aim to ensure that every child, family, and educator—particularly those from underserved and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities—has access to opportunities that foster growth, inclusion, and equity.
2025-2027 Legislative Agenda Priorities
- Recognize Early Childhood Educators as professionals who should be well-compensated.
- Prioritize Access to Anti-Racist and Culturally Relevant Professional Development for Educators and Leaders in the Workforce.
- Advancing Educational Justice by Transforming Systems to Uplift Early Learning Equity for Black Indigenous and People of Color as well as Rural, and Undeserved communities.
- Center the Voices of Families and the Early Learning Workforce together in Policymaking.
- Prioritizing the Inclusion, Belonging, and Sustainability of Multilingual Programs in Early Learning Environments.
WAEYC Community and Organizational Policy Priorities
- Support for Family-Owned and Small Childcare Providers: Streamlining Licensing and Reducing Regulatory Burden.
- Fostering Student-Led, Trauma-Informed Education for Children Birth to 8.
- Strengthening Early Support Services for children with healthcare needs, focusing on both mental and physical health, alongside comprehensive early Support Services, to enhance overall well-being.
- Bridging the Digital Divide and Equitable Access to Technology in Early Childhood Education for providers and their families.
- Current action items
- Archive or timeline of past actions
- Links to templates or scripts for advocacy
Spanish language Public Policy Core group
- The Spanish Public Policy Committee exists to center the voices and priorities of Spanish-speaking early learning professionals, families, and communities in public policy and advocacy. The committee works to ensure that policies at local, state, and federal levels reflect linguistic justice, cultural relevance, and equity for Spanish-speaking children and their families.
This committee meets the first Tuesday of each month.
- Current projects
Please reach out to Publicpolicy@waeyc.org for a connection to join.
True change happens when communities come together across differences. Through outreach and collaboration, we can uplift voices that have been historically marginalized, challenge inequities, and co-create solutions rooted in justice and belonging. Please reach out to our Public Policy Fellow for advocacy support and to join us in this vital work in our community.
- During the 2026 legislative session come join Raishawn Thursdays from 6:30PM- 8:30PM On January 15th we will kick off the first meeting at 4PM
Public Policy Fellow
“Public policies should be shaped by the people who live their consequences. As a Black woman, a mother, and an educator, I know that when policy ignores our lived experiences, it reinforces the very inequities we’re fighting to dismantle. Real change begins when we center those most impacted.”
— Raishawn Swensen
Raishawn Swensen is a passionate advocate, mother, and early childhood leader rooted in community and justice. As a Public Policy Fellow, Raishawn brings lived experience and deep dedication to advancing equitable policies for children, families, and early educators. Her journey into early childhood education began when she became a mother and sought safe, nurturing, and affordable learning spaces for her own children. What started as a personal need quickly transformed into a professional calling.
Raishawn has worked hands-on in early learning settings, led community-centered advocacy efforts, and supported initiatives that amplify the voices of those most impacted by systemic inequities. Her policy work is informed by her experience as a homeschooling parent, educator, and organizer committed to uplifting families who are often left out of decision-making spaces.
Through her fellowship, Raishawn aims to co-create solutions that dismantle barriers to access, promote racial and economic justice, and ensure that early care and education systems are built with not just for communities.
