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Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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A BILL 5
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 9
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To amend, on a temporary basis, the Day Care Policy Act of 1979 to update the minimum salaries 14
child development facilities must pay assistant and lead teachers beginning in January 2026 15
to participate in the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Program, incorporate the Early 16
Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force and the Early Childhood 17
Educator Pay Equity Fund into the act, and to make conforming amendments. 18
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 20
act may be cited as the “Early Childhood Educator Pay Scales Temporary Amendment Act of 21
2025”. 22
Sec. 2. The Day Care Policy Act of 1979, effective September 19, 1979 (D.C. Law 3-16; 23
D.C. Official Code § 4-401 et seq.), is amended as follows: 24
(a) Section 2 (D.C. Official Code § 4-401) is amended as follows: 25
(1) A new paragraph (3A-i) is added to read as follows: 26
“(3A-i) The term “Community-based organization” means a Head Start or early 27
childhood education program operated by a nonprofit entity, faith-based organization, or other 28
entity that participates in federally funded early childhood programs.”. 29
(2) Paragraph (4A) is amended by striking the phrase “section 5102 of the Early 30
Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund Establishment Act of 2021, effective November 13, 2021 31
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(D.C. Law 24-45; D.C. Official Code § 1-325.431)” and inserting the phrase “section 11d” in its 32
place. 33
(3) Paragraph (4C) is amended by striking the phrase “section 11b(b)-(c)” and 34
inserting the phrase “section 11b” in its place. 35
(4) A new paragraph (5C-i) is added to read as follows: 36
“(5C-i) The term “Subsidy” means supplemental payments made by the Mayor 37
pursuant to section 5a.”. 38
(b) Section 11a (D.C. Official Code § 4-410.01) is amended as follows: 39
(1) Subsection (b) is repealed. 40
(2) The lead-in language in subsection (c) is amended to read as follows: 41
“(c) By February 1, 2024, and on a triennial basis thereafter, OSSE shall conduct a cost 42
modeling analysis to estimate the costs of care for child development facilities in the District, 43
which shall incorporate the cost of implementing the ECE salary scale established and updated 44
pursuant to section 11b, and submit a report to the Council that includes:”. 45
(b) Section 11b (D.C. Official Code § 4-410.02) is amended as follows: 46
(1) Subsection (b-1) is amended as follows: 47
(A) Designate the existing text as paragraph (1). 48
(B) The lead-in language of the newly designated paragraph (1) is 49
amended by striking the phrase “September 30, 2026” and inserting the phrase “December 31, 50
2025” in its place. 51
(C) A new paragraph (2) is added to read as follows: 52
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“(2) From January 1, 2026, through September 30, 2026, child development 53
facilities that enter or have entered into a contract or agreement with the Department to receive 54
monies from the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund shall use such monies to pay, at 55
minimum, the salaries for assistant and lead teachers listed in the following tables: 56
Table 1: Assistant Teacher Minimum Salaries
Credential Level Minimum Salary
CDA $48,736/year ($23.43/hour)
Associate degree or higher or 60 hours of
college-level coursework in any field
$51,576/year ($24.80/hour)
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Table 2: Lead Teacher Minimum Salaries
Credential Level Minimum Salary
Child development center teacher or expanded
child development home caregiver with a CDA
$48,736/year ($23.43/hour)
Child development home caregiver with a CDA $51,576/year ($24.80/hour)
Associate in ECE; associate with at least 12
credit hours in ECE; 60 college credit hours
with at least 12 credit hours in ECE
$60,678/year ($29.17/hour)
Bachelor’s or higher in ECE; or bachelor’s or
higher with at least 12 credit hours in ECE
$71,010/year ($34.14/hour)
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(3) Subsection (c) is amended to read as follows: 59
(A) Paragraph (1) is amended to read as follows: 60
“(1) Beginning February 1, 2026, and annually by February 1 thereafter, the 61
Department shall provide a public report to the Council and to the members of the Early 62
Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force pursuant to section 15(c) that analyzes 63
possible updates to the minimum salaries for assistant and lead teachers for the following fiscal 64
year. The analysis will consider the salary tables from the past three years in subsection (b-1) of 65
this section. The report shall include: 66
“(A) Recommended minimum salaries for the upcoming fiscal year, 67
adjusted to reflect the year-over-year percentage change in the Chained Consumer Price Index 68
for All Urban Consumers for the Washington-Baltimore, DC-MD-VA-WV area; 69
“(B) A comparison of the District’s current minimum salaries with those 70
in surrounding jurisdictions, including educators in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten 71
classrooms, and recommendations for keeping District salaries competitive across the region; 72
“(C) A comparison of the District’s current minimum salaries with those 73
for comparable positions under the current operative contract with the Washington Teachers’ 74
Union; 75
“(D) An assessment of the projected funding needed for the upcoming 76
fiscal year to make full payments to all child development facilities with existing agreements 77
with the Department to implement the ECE salary scale based on the current and recommended 78
salaries; 79
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“(E) A discussion of the Early Childhood Pay Equity Program impacts and 80
outcomes, and recommendations, if any, for improving the program’s impact, funding formula, 81
or administrative operations to enhance outcomes and cost efficacy.”. 82
(B) Paragraph (3) is repealed. 83
(2) Subsection (d)(1) is amended as follows: 84
(A) Subparagraph (A) is amended by striking the phrase “; or” and 85
inserting a semicolon in its place. 86
(B) Subparagraph (B) is amended by striking the period and inserting the 87
phrase “; or” in its place. 88
(C) A new paragraph (C) is added to read as follows: 89
“(C) Revise, consistent with appropriations, the minimum salaries 90
provided in subsection (b-1) of this section by rule issued pursuant to Title I of the District of 91
Columbia Administrative Procedure Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1024; D.C. 92
Official Code § 2-501 et seq.).”. 93
(3) New subsections (e) is added to read as follows: 94
“(e) The Chief Financial Officer shall report to the Council on a quarterly basis indicating 95
the fiscal year expenditures from the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund (“Fund”) to 96
date and the total amount of funds remaining in the Fund. The report shall be submitted no later 97
than 21 days following the end of each quarter. 98
(c) Section 11d (D.C. Official Code § 4-410.04) is revived and amended to read as 99
follows: 100
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“Sec. 11d. Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund. 101
“(a) There is established as a special fund the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Fund 102
(“Fund”), which shall be a continuation of the fund established by the Early Childhood Educator 103
Pay Equity Fund Establishment Act of 2021, effective November 13, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-45; 104
D.C. Official Code § 1-325.431), and administered by the Department in accordance with 105
subsection (c) of this section. 106
“(b) The following funds shall be deposited into the Fund: 107
“(1) In Fiscal Year 2022, $53,920,878 in local funds; 108
“(2) In Fiscal Year 2023, $72,889,092 in local funds; 109
“(3) In Fiscal Year 2024, $69,508,332 in local funds; 110
“(4) In Fiscal Year 2025, $70,000,000 in local funds; and 111
“(5) In Fiscal Year 2026, $72,126,902 in local funds. 112
“(c) The Fund shall be used to: 113
“(1) Support the implementation of the Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity 114
Program. 115
“(2) Subject to appropriations, reduce health insurance premiums paid by child 116
development facilities, or employees of child development facilities eligible to receive the 117
minimum salaries listed in section 11b, pursuant to an agreement with the DC Health Benefit 118
Exchange. 119
“(3)(A) Pay the Department administrative costs related to implementing the 120
Early Childhood Educator Pay Equity Program, which may include: 121
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“(i) Personnel and associated non-personnel costs; 122
“(ii) Grantee or contractor costs related to distributing Fund 123
monies; and 124
“(iii) Costs related to providing technical assistance to child 125
development facilities. 126
“(B) Administrative costs authorized to be paid pursuant to subparagraph 127
(A) of this paragraph shall not exceed 5% of the annual amount deposited in the Fund. 128
“(d)(1) Money deposited into the Fund but not expended in a fiscal year shall not revert 129
to the unassigned fund balance of the General Fund of the District of Columbia at the end of a 130
fiscal year, or at any time. 131
“(2) Subject to authorization in an approved budget and financial plan, any funds 132
appropriated in the Fund shall be continually available without regard to fiscal year limitation. 133
“(e) Unless otherwise prohibited by federal law, lump-sum payments an individual 134
receives from the Fund shall not be counted as income or assets: 135
“(1) For the purposes of determining eligibility or calculating benefits under the 136
District of Columbia Public Assistance Act of 1982, effective April 6, 1982 (D.C. Law 4-101, 137
D.C. Official Code § 4-201.01 et seq.); and 138
“(2) For the purpose of determining eligibility or calculating benefits for the 139
following benefit programs: 140
“(A) D.C. HealthCare Alliance, referenced in Section 8(2) of the 141
Department of Health Care Finance Establishment Act of 2007, effective February 27, 2008 142
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(D.C. Law 17-109; D.C. Official Code § 7-771.07(2)), or any subsequent program established to 143
provide public health insurance coverage to residents ineligible for Medicaid; 144
“(B) Educational scholarships the District administers with local funds; 145
“(C) Home Purchase Assistance Program, referenced in section 3a of the 146
Home Purchase Assistance Fund Act of 1978, effective July 1, 2016 (D.C. Law 21-139; D.C. 147
Official Code § 42-2602.01); 148
“(D) Housing subsidy vouchers issued through the Rent Supplement 149
Program, established by section 26 of the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999, 150
effective March 2, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-192; D.C. Official Code § 6-226); 151
“(E) Grandparent Caregiver Program established by section 102 of the 152
Grandparent Caregivers Pilot Program Establishment Act of 2005, effective March 8, 2006 (D.C. 153
Law 16-69; D.C. Official Code § 4-251.02); 154
“(F) Close Relative Caregiver Program, established by section 102 of the 155
Close Relative Caregiver Subsidy Pilot Program Establishment Amendment Act of 2019, 156
effective November 26, 2019 (D.C. Law 23-32; D.C. Official Code § 4-251.22); and 157
“(G) Other District government benefit programs administered with local 158
funds, including Strong Families, Strong Futures.”. 159
(e) A new section 15c is added to read as follows: 160
“Sec. 15c. Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force Establishment. 161
“(a)(1) There is established by the Council an Early Childhood Educator Equitable 162
Compensation Task Force (“Task Force”), which shall have, as of the effective date of the Early 163
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Childhood Educator Pay Scales Amendment Act of 2025, passed by the Committee of the Whole 164
on October ___, 2025 (Committee print of Bill 26-176) (“ECE Pay Scales Amendment Act”), the 165
same members as the Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force established 166
pursuant to the Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force Act of 2021, 167
effective November 13, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-45, D.C. Official Code § 38-2241 et seq.), until their 168
successors are appointed. 169
“(b)(1) The Task Force shall be composed of the Chairman of the Council, or his or her 170
designee, the State Superintendent of Education, or his or her designee, and 12 District residents, 171
appointed by the Chairman, representing the following entities or groups: 172
“(A) Families whose children are receiving or have received early 173
childhood education or childcare services from early childhood development facilities in the 174
District; 175
“(B) Community-based organizations; 176
“(C) Early childhood education associations, advocacy or research 177
organizations; 178
“(D) Operators of child development facilities who participate in the 179
childcare subsidy programs; 180
“(E) Operators of child development facilities who do not currently 181
participate in the childcare subsidy program; 182
“(F) Operators of home-based child development facilities; 183
“(G) Employees of child development facilities; and 184
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“(H) An individual with an expertise in economics or policy, who has an 185
understanding of the District’s early childhood development and education sector. 186
“(3) At least two members of the Task Force shall be employees of child 187
development facilities, one of whom shall be a participant in the Early Childhood Educator Pay 188
Equity Program. 189
“(4) The Chairman, or his or her designee, shall serve as the Chairperson of the 190
Task Force. 191
“(c) Following the effective date of the ECE Pay Scales Amendment Act, the Task Force 192
shall convene: 193
(1) At least every 3rd calendar year starting in 2027; or 194
(2) When deemed necessary by the Chairman of the Council. 195
“(d) Within 60 days of the publication of the report pursuant to section 11b(c), the Task 196
Force shall meet and submit a response to the Council that: 197
“(1) Reviews the Department’s report, the recommended salary scales, the Early 198
Childhood Educator Pay Equity Program funding formula, and the state of the early childhood 199
education workforce; and 200
(2) Makes recommendations to improve systemic supports. 201
“(e) Should a vacancy occur on the Task Force after the effective date of the ECE Pay 202
Scales Amendment Act the Chairman, in consultation with the State Superintendent of 203
Education, shall appoint an individual to fill the vacancy whose qualifications and experience are 204
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comparable to those of the individual who vacated the role, and whose appointment maintains 205
the composition requirements set for in subsection (b) of this section.”. 206
Sec. 3. The Early Childhood Pay Equity Fund Establishment Act of 2021, effective 207
November 13, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-45; D.C. Official Code § 1-325.431), is repealed. 208
Sec. 4. The Early Childhood Educator Equitable Compensation Task Force Act of 2021, 209
effective November 13, 2021 (D.C. Law 24-45, D.C. Official Code § 38-2241 et seq.), is 210
repealed. 211
Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement. 212
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 213
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 214
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 215
Sec. 6. Effective date. 216
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 217
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto) and a 30-day period of congressional review 218
as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 219
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)). 220
(b) This act shall expire after 225 days of having taken effect. 221