As we posted earlier this month, the time has come for the 2009-2011 Wisconsin state budget to be reviewed and revised by the Joint Finance Committee. Do you want to advocate for early care and education funding to be increased in the budget? Here are 10 creative ways to do so:

1. Write a letter to your state legislators: Share your personal story and your commitment to providing the very best care and education to our state’s children. You can find out who represents you and how to reach them here.

2. Join the Early Learning Coalition and the Great Start Campaign. Visit : www.greatstartwi.org

3. Invite your legislators to visit your program. Take a picture of them with the children and send a copy along with a thank you.

4. Add your elected officials to your newsletter mailing list. Let them learn about all the great things you do everyday.

5. Get to know the staff to your legislators. Let them know you can serve as a local resource on quality early care and education.

6. Speak out to friends, colleagues, family, and others about the benefits of high quality early care and education.

7. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper in response to a child care story.

8. Participate in the “Picture Wisconsin’s Future” postcard campaign. We have postcards for parents and staff to fill out. Children personalize the postcards for parents with drawings of what they want to be someday. Programs can also submit photos for the “Picture Wisconsin’s Future” display in the rotunda of the State Capitol. Detailed information on these projects can be found here.

9. Provide on-going parent education to discuss what quality child care is and the importance of well-educated and supported staff.

10. Create opportunities for parents to act: make calls, write letters, give testimony… and invite them to join the Early Learning Coalition Great Start Campaign well.

*The Early Learning Coalition is a broad-based and diverse coalition representing child care and early education, Head Start and Early Head Start, programs serving children with disabilities and special needs, and public schools. WECA is among the statewide organizations represented on a Leadership Council and an active participant in Coalition activity.