Nashville Early Education Coalition

06/18/2026

ICYMI: NEEC's Melanie Shinbaum recently joined parents, providers, and advocates at the capitol for "A Day Without Childcare" — part of a national movement shining a light on what happens when families, businesses, and communities lose access to care.

Melanie spoke about the state of early childhood education in Nashville and why advocacy matters now more than ever. She was joined by voices from across the community, including , the Black Child Development Institute, the , family and group childcare providers, and a representative from Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office, who presented a proclamation recognizing the day.

Parents shared what childcare access — or the lack of it — means for their families. Providers shared what it takes to keep their doors open. And everyone in that plaza was reminded of the same thing: when childcare disappears, even for a day, the whole city feels it.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, spoke up, and stood with Tennessee's families and providers.

06/16/2026

Right now, Nashville’s childcare capacity meets the needs of just 56% of children from birth through age five.

Think about that for a moment.

For nearly half of Nashville’s youngest children, there simply is nowhere for them to go.

NEEC is determined to help close this gap, by expanding access, supporting the educators who make care possible, and treating childcare as the essential infrastructure it is.

Every child deserves a strong start.

06/11/2026

Childcare is workforce infrastructure — and the business case is clear.

In Davidson County, 80% of working parents report employment disruptions tied to inadequate childcare: including missed work and declined promotions.

Working Tennessee parents and their families are hit hardest, with annual reduced earnings of $1.65 billion. Employers in turn experienced losses of $497 million from lower productivity, reduced revenue, increased hiring and retention costs and, ultimately, lost profit (Source: Tennesseans for Quality Early Education).

For Nashville’s business community, childcare access is a direct factor in hiring, retention, and growth. Employers have real levers here, from on-site care to childcare benefits and subsidies, and NEEC partners with businesses to put them in place. If your organization is ready to treat childcare as the infrastructure it is, we’d love to connect.

06/05/2026

More big news from last week: Nashville has been selected for the National League of Cities’ Pathways for Early Childhood Leadership Initiative. 🌟 It’s a national cohort focused on systems change in early childhood education.

Nashville was chosen because of the partners already at the table here at home: our providers, our funders, our business community, Mayor, councilmembers, and a coalition (that’s us!) committed to getting this right.

The National League of Cities will also bring its national conference to Nashville this November.

Being chosen for this initiative tells the country that Nashville is serious about early childhood, and it raises the bar for what comes next.

06/03/2026

Childcare supply in Nashville is constrained by a combination of workforce shortages, rising operating costs, and regulatory barriers that slow growth.

New legislation passed by Metro Council directly addresses the regulatory piece. It removes outdated zoning restrictions, including a rule prohibiting childcare centers from operating within 1,000 feet of one another, and reduces the special exemptions providers previously had to secure through the Board of Zoning Appeals.

These barriers have contributed to opening timelines that can stretch beyond a year.
The legislation is informed by data and policy recommendations in NEEC’s Policy Blueprint, as well as by what Nashville childcare providers identified as their most pressing needs.

Read NEEC’s 2026 Policy Blueprint for the full policy agenda.

06/02/2026

On Friday, NEEC joined the team at St. Luke's Community House, alongside Freddie O'Connell, Mayor of Metropolitan Nashville & Davidson County, Councilmember Rollin Horton, and other child care advocates to mark a real step forward for Nashville’s youngest learners. 🎉

New legislation, informed by data and shaped by what providers told the city they needed, is moving Nashville’s childcare system in the right direction.

And Nashville was named to a national early childhood leadership initiative through the National League of Cities. When a mayor’s office, a city council, a coalition of providers, and a national partner are all moving in the same direction at once, real things start to happen for families.

06/01/2026

Grab your spot now!!

The leadership retreat is intended to bring together Early Childhood Education Leaders in a supportive and inspiring environment where they can reflect, recharge, and reconnect through their shared mission.
Through collaboration, shared learning, and renewed visions. Early Childhood Leaders will be empowered to return to their programs with fresh energy and strategies to elevate the quality of care and education for our youngest children. By strengthening leadership at the foundation of early learning, we aim to create lasting, positive change that will impact children, families, and communities for generations to come.

Jun 25, 2026, 9:00 AM – Jun 26, 2026, 3:00 PM
The Lodge at Montgomery Bell, 1000 Hotel Ave, Burns, TN 37029, USA
https://www.tacee.org/event-details-registration/rooted-in-purpose-leading-with-resilience

06/01/2026

Nashville area early educators...nominate who you think is THE best early educator!!

📣Nominations for the 2026 Tennessee Early Educator Awards are underway!

These annual awards aim to honor exceptional early childhood educators, elevate the early childhood education profession, and highlight the critical role high-quality early education plays for Tennessee’s children, families, and communities.

Nominate your favorite Early Educator (Educators of Tennessee children birth-3rd grade) by following the link in bio and filling out the nomination form by Friday, June 12, noon Central time.

10 deserving awardees from across Tennessee will receive $1000 cash, a shopping spree at Lakeshore Learning, a trip to Nashville, and other fun surprises!

Nominate now at: https://www.tqee.org/educators/2026-tn-early-educator-awards/

Good Luck!

05/28/2026

Think child care is expensive? You’re not alone. On average in Tennessee, a year of child care costs more than in-state tuition at a Tennessee university!

And yet, even at the prices that already strain parents’ purse strings, tuition does not come close to covering the true cost of providing high-quality early learning.

To actually cover the true cost of care, a single parent with one infant in care would have to spend 80% of their monthly income. If they had an infant and a toddler, it would require 134%! There’s no family in the world who can pay that.

Read more about the broken childcare system in the Child Care Landscape Study, and check out our Policy Blueprint for how NEEC is showing up to make positive change: https://bit.ly/49b5h14

05/26/2026

School's out for summer. But childcare? Open as usual.

Early childhood educators don't get a summer break. They're caring for Nashville's youngest children 12 months a year — often for wages that fall below what it costs to live in this city.

While the rest of us mark summer on the calendar, they show up. Every day.

NEEC is working to build a system that actually supports them. Learn more at nasheec.org.