On November 16-21, 2009 thousands of early care and education providers, many members of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), converged in Washington, D.C. for the annual National Association for the Education of Young Children conference.

The AFT took advantage of this opportunity to highlight the success of preschool programs in the nation's capital with AFT president Randi Weingarten visiting D.C. preschools with press in tow.

AFT ECE members visited their respective congress members to urge support for unprecedented ECE investments, like the Early Learning Challenge Fund, proposed in the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (H.R. 3221). Many members hosted well attended workshops designed to promote and distribute the numerous ECE professional development materials created by the AFT with our partners. Like the Transitioning to Kindergarten toolkit workshop, developed in partnership with the National Center for Learning Disabilities. Members also staffed the much visited AFT booth where we distributed our ECE professional development materials free to providers from around the country.

CFT ECE members staff the AFT NAEYC booth.

CFT ECE members and staff visit Senator Barbara Boxer to urge her support for the Early Learning Challenge Fund.