ECEA Had a Tremendous 2024! Here’s A Snapshot of Our Accomplishments

Thank you for your amazing support of the ECEA in 2024! With your help, we continue to grow as the leading advocate for community child care in New Jersey. We held numerous and impactful events this year – connecting key state lawmakers with child care providers – and have been a constant presence at industry conferences and conventions. 

We have also focused on meeting YOU – creating impactful events for us all to network, learn and grow. 

Our efforts in Trenton continue to be impactful, as we: 

• Highlight benefits of the mixed delivery preschool model and the unintended consequences of not 
• using this model 
• Discuss barriers to participation in state-funded preschool for community-based providers 
• Build momentum to expand mixed-delivery, preschool partnerships in New Jersey. 

Key Accomplishments: 

• At ECEA’s urging, this year’s state budget includes language incentivizing school districts to partner with community-based organizations to offer preschool. ECEA worked closely with Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz and advocacy partners on this language; multiple components were adopted in the state budget and are now law. 
• ECEA advocated to extend the state’s policy of paying child care centers based on enrollment vs. attendance was extended through June 2025. 
• ECEA partnered once again with the Early Care & Education Consortium for the annual advocacy day in Trenton. Nearly 40 early childhood advocates attended, the event featured legislative champions, including Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz and Assemblymembers Lisa Swain and Aura Dunn. 
• ECEA joined other child advocacy groups to provide vital testimony before the Senate Education Committee in a hearing focused solely on mixed delivery preschool. 

Celebrate Our Success! 

And Join Us in 2025 as We Continue to Build Our Voice in New Jersey.