Take Action: Ask Your Members of Congress to Co-Sponsor the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act

Start Early invites you to ask your U.S. Representatives and Senators to co-sponsor the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act (H.R. 6532/S. 3544) to support services for young children with disabilities and their families. 

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law that ensures access to special education services and supports for children and youth starting at birth.  Despite inflation and an increase in the number of young children served under IDEA, federal funding increases to the parts of this important legislation that serve young children have been modest in the last 20 years.  The Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act would increase per-child funding to its highest levels since the 1990s through grants to states supporting implementation of these critical services.   

Click here to ask your U.S. Senators and Representatives to co-sponsor the Funding Early Childhood is the Right IDEA Act and represent the urgent needs of the children and families in your community who are relying on them to take action in Congress. 

Sign On to Support Home Visiting Funding Reauthorization

Start Early and its fellow members of the National Home Visiting Coalition invite national, state, and local organizations to sign onto a joint a letter to Congress in strong support of reauthorizing the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program prior to its expiration this year.  The letter expresses support for increased MIECHV funding, a doubling of the Tribal MIECHV set-aside, and the continued allowance of virtual home visits under MIECHV. 

Interested organizations can view the letter here and sign on using this form by February 25.  Please contact Caroline Lee, Policy Associate for the National Home Visiting Coalition ( [email protected] ) with any questions.

Sign On to Support Investment in Children & Families Prenatal-3

Start Early and our fellow members of the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers encourage local, state, and national organizations to sign on to an open letter articulating a united vision for increased investments in prenatal-to-three issues in 2022 and beyond. By calling on our nation’s leaders at every level to invest in infants, toddlers, and their families, we have the opportunity to yield meaningful dividends into the future for our children, families, communities, and economy.

Review the letter here and use this link to indicate your organization's commitment. Organizations that sign on prior to February 25 will be included in the public release of the letter in early March, but the form will remain open indefinitely. Please contact Brian Ahlberg, Coordinator at the National Collaborative for Infants and Toddlers ( [email protected]) with any questions.