Neighborhood Villages supports the passage of the Early Ed Act(S.2707) which would:

• Make care more affordable for more Massachusetts families.

• Create a sustainable funding source for quality care through codification of direct-to-provider operations grants.

• Promote increased compensation for early educators by aligning salaries and benefits for early education educators with commensurate public K-12 educators. 

Read more about the bill here and learn how to get involved here.

In the FY2025 state budget, we are fighting for sustained – and increased – funding for key elements of the Commonwealth’s early education and care sector, including:

• Operations grants (3000-1045) made permanent in statute and funded at a minimum of $475 million, to continue a sustainable and predictable funding source for quality early education and care, increase educator compensation, and improve access to care, especially for lower income families.

• Child care financial assistance rate reserve (3000-1042) funded at the maximum possible to raise the child care financial assistance reimbursement rate and grow the supply of quality care options for vulnerable and lower income families.

• Neighborhood Villages pilot (3000-7055) continued funding for Neighborhood Villages at $1 million, to support family access to quality early education and care, in-classroom teaching and learning supports, and career pathway opportunities for educators.

• Higher education opportunities for the early education and care workforce (3000-7066) funded at a minimum of $10 million, to promote educator access to higher education opportunities and strengthen the early education and care workforce pipeline.

Additional priorities for the Massachusetts FY2025 budget include:

• Expanding income eligibility for child care financial assistance through line item 1596-2435

• Increasing state funding for mental health, nutrition, and other wraparound supports in early education and care through line item 3000-6075 and others

Neighborhood Villages strongly supports:

• Implementation of Massachusetts’ new cost of care methodology as the benchmark for establishing Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) reimbursement rates and Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operations grant amounts.

• Continuation of direct-to-provider C3 operations grants, made available to all licensed providers with enhanced additional funding for providers serving lower-income families and/or communities.

• Reducing barriers to family ability to apply for and obtain child care subsidies.

• Supporting a well qualified and well compensated early education and care workforce through career advancement, educational and professional development opportunities, improved benefits, and increased compensation.