Childcare industry leaders are gathering in Northeast Florida this week to work on two long-running problems: making care more affordable and raising pay for the teachers who provide it. The conference is also meant to teach them how to win over the lawmakers who control the money.

The Florida Association for the Education of Young Children (FLAEYC) holds its annual conference Friday through Sunday in Jacksonville. Early childhood educators trade classroom strategies, hear about current research and connect with peers. Registration is still open.

Organizers say the agenda goes beyond professional development. Attendees will be trained to push for policy changes and new laws, including how to find the right officials for a problem and how to tell their story persuasively.

FLAEYC Executive Director Wendy Occhipinti said the sessions focus on who can help with a specific challenge and how to present it effectively. Makayla Buchanan, chief of staff at The Children’s Movement, said the gathering reminds educators their work matters and puts them among people who understand it.

Industry leaders also acknowledge the political reality: childcare competes with every other priority in Tallahassee. Erin Smeltzer, president and CEO of The Children’s Forum, said advocates must avoid becoming “one more thing they have to deal with” for legislators already weighing demands from roads, tourism and more.

Laurie McCracken, owner of Baby Fox Academy in Sarasota, called early learning the “workforce behind the workforce,” arguing it keeps Florida’s economy running.

Whether the push produces new state spending or policy changes remains to be seen. Attendees leave with their pitch ready for the next legislative cycle.

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