Neighborhood Villages supports the passage of two bills introduced in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and in the Massachusetts Senate, both named An Act providing affordable and accessible high quality early education and care to promote child development and well-being and support the economy in the Commonwealth (HD.489/SD.301).

Though they differ from each other, both bills 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 bills here and learn how to get involved here.

In the FY2024 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) 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 a 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) funded at $1.2 million, to support access to quality early education and care by continuing funding for Neighborhood Villages.

• 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 FY2024 budget include:

• Expanding income eligibility for child care financial assistance through line item 3000-4060

• 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:

• Development of an alternative methodology for calculating the true cost of providing high-quality child care, to raise the child care subsidy reimbursement rate.

• Continuation of direct-to-provider operational grants, made available to all licensed providers with prioritization of those serving lower-income families and/or communities.

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

• Sustained funding for Massachusetts Professional Pathways and Business Management Training programs.