What a great day — Rock the Hill 2026!
Rock the Hill 2026 wasn’t just a moment, it was the beginning of a movement.
On Tuesday, January 20, 2026, families, educators, and early childhood advocates from across the state gathered in Nashville for Rock the Hill at the Tennessee State Capitol. We united our voices to tell state legislators
“Investing in the earliest learners IS investing in Tennessee’s future!”
Highlights from Rock the Hill 2026
The Rock the Hill Rally
Hundreds of advocates attended a powerful, high-energy kick-off to the day. Together, we created massive visibility for the importance of Early Care and Education and lift up Loud Voices for Little Kids. Attendees enjoyed hands-on advocacy stations, media moments, inspiring speakers, fun photo ops, kid-friendly swag, and plenty of excitement as we united to champion the earliest years of life in Tennessee.
Our Rally Priorities:
- Increasing access to high quality, affordable child care and preschool
- Expanding paid family and parental leave insurance programs
- Increasing support for infant, early childhood, and maternal health and mental health services
- Expanding access to K-3 tutoring and extended / out-of-school time learning and enrichment programs
- Shoring up economic supports to help working families make ends meet
The Family Experience
We brought together nearly 100 families from across Tennessee to join our indoor learning centers, sponsored by Lakeshore Learning. Our learning centers aimed to be a visual for legislators of the power of play in early learning. Viewing quality early learning spaces, activities, and resources gives legislators a better understanding of what their investments are supporting. Over 150 children 0-8 were registered to bring the joy, excitement, and a little bit of childhood chaos to our mock learning centers. Legislators stopped by to read stories, enjoy lunch, and meet real Tennessee families.
Our Families Participated in:
- Literacy, Math, Art, Science, and Music learning centers
- Delivering lunchboxes with snacks, photos of families, and “messages in a bottle” from Tennessee families, to legislators at Cordell Hull.
- The Education Committee, where Rock the Hill was announced and their participation in the experience was honored.
- Hearing stories read by Representatives and Senators
