DEC Positionality 2025

In response to recent Executive Orders from the new administration, we are writing to assure our members and partners that DEC will continue to stand with you in our collective commitment to inclusion, equity, social justice, accessibility, and belonging. We will continue to guide the organization as aligned with the DEC Racial Equity Point of View.

We will continue to do the work because it is the work that needs done. It is the work to which the children, families, and professionals we serve have a right. It is the work demanded by our Vision and Mission.

Our work is guided by a rich history of civil rights law, disability law, and finds its roots in the advocacy of families and persons with disabilities.

We are unwavering in our belief in inclusion of children with disabilities starting at birth. All children have a right to be in homes, classrooms, and communities alongside their peers. We recognize the intersectionality of disability and race, ethnicity, religion, and gender. We believe the children we serve deserve every chance at success. As adults, they belong in every workplace and in every profession. We believe that diversity is the key to a successful society.

We are guided by and uplift the wisdom and voices of individuals and families who are receiving services, who have received services, or who are providing services. We amplify and center the wisdom, experiences and perspectives of people with disabilities. We value bi-directional learning and highlight and prioritize the expertise of families, especially those most marginalized

by our systems.

We hope that you will join us in our commitment to inclusion, equity, social justice, accessibility, and belonging.

DEC Executive Board

DEC Executive Office

Division for Early Childhood

of the Council for Exceptional Children