Policy Pulse #6
In this issue of the Policy Pulse we share updates on several key areas of early education and Care in Massachusetts: Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3), Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) and higher education opportunities for early educators. We also share several upcoming events and important information on registering to vote. Let’s dive in.
What to Know
The Department of Early Education and Care Held It’s October Board Meeting
The Board of Massachusetts’ Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) most recently met on October 9, 2024. Important decisions about the early education and care sector are made at monthly EEC Board meetings and you can read the wrap-up here! Here are highlights of what happened at the October Board meeting:
EEC provided more details on the recent procurement of new Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) contracts with providers;
The EEC Board voted to submit a proposal to the Board of Higher Education to address a shortfall in Career Pathways funding. The proposal shifts funds allocated in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) state budget from the Early Childhood Educator (ECE) Scholarship Program to the Career Pathways program;
EEC introduced its new Research Agenda and Key Performance Indicators; and
EEC provided an update regarding the Child Care Financial Assistance caseload, which included more than 65,400 children as of the end of September 2024.
Due to Delayed Implementation of the iLottery Implementation,a Solution for Impacted Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Funding is Currently Moving Through the Legislature
In July, the Massachusetts State Legislature created an iLottery through the FY25 state budget. The budget anticipated that at least $100 million in revenue generated from the iLottery would be used for the Early Education Trust Fund, which funds the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operations grants. Last week, however, state Treasurer and Lottery Commission Chair Deb Goldberg announced that the launch of the iLottery will be delayed, likely until April 2026. This will impact state revenue for FY25 and likely FY26 as well.
Given this, to help ensure that C3 operations grants are funded at the full $475 million appropriated to the program, Governor Maura Healey included $150 million for the Early Education Trust Fund in her proposal for the FY24 close-out budget. The MA House of Representatives moved forward this proposal on October 17th. The bill now goes to the MA Senate for its review.
New Eligibility for Child Care Financial Assistance Released
Earlier this month, EEC released updated Child Care Financial Assistance CCFA income eligibility levels. Currently, all families earning up to 50% State Median Income who meet certain work requirements are eligible to apply for state CCFA.
All families with annual household incomes up to $78,840 for a family of 4 are eligible to apply for CCFA and can continue to receive reduced cost child care until their incomes exceed $134,028.
Families with a child with special needs or families of early educators with annual household incomes up to $134,028 are eligible to apply.
Families eligible for CCFA with incomes below the Federal Poverty Line (FPL) ($31,200 for a family of four) pay no family fees.
In January, families making up to 85% SMI will be eligible to apply for CCFA. However, due to funding levels in the FY2025 state budget, limited CCFA slots for newly eligible families will be available.
Read More About the New Structure of the Commonwealth Cares for Children Program
As of July, the Commonwealth Cares for Children Program is codified in Massachusetts State Law. This permanency also came with several mandates from the Legislature about how funds will be distributed. EEC is now implementing those changes, which will go into effect next month. Read more about the new structure for C3 and its impacts in Neighborhood Villages’ most recent fact sheet.
What To Do
Join Us for Neighborhood Villages’ Community Advocacy Call: Advocacy Beyond the State House.
Join Neighborhood Villages tonight at 6:30pm EST for a virtual Community Advocacy Call. This month, find out where advocacy happens and how advocates should be showing up this fall to make their voices heard as new policies are implemented. Register here.
Community Advocacy Calls are open spaces for parents, educators and anyone who’s interested in learning about and advocating for child care change.
Make Your Voice Heard At the Polls: Go Vote
The deadline to register to vote in Massachusetts is October 26th! You can register online, update your registration, and find out where you vote here. Learn more about Massachusetts statewide ballot Initiatives and who is on the ballot.
All registered voters can vote in person or by mail and every city and town offers early voting before election day. You can find out early voting times and locations here.
Join us for the Massachusetts premiere of the award-winning documentary, MAKE A CIRCLE, at Boston's historic Strand Theater on Tuesday, November 12th.
From an award-winning filmmaking team, MAKE A CIRCLE is a moving portrait of life as an early childhood educator and a promising blueprint for improving child care. This event is free and open to the public. It will include the film screening and a panel discussion. Please register here. We hope to see you there!
What's Next
The next meeting of the EEC Board of Directors will be on November 13, 2024 at 1:00pm. A full schedule of meetings as well as recordings and meeting materials can be found here.
FY25 provider grant amounts for Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) go into effect in November. Stay tuned for more updates on the impact of these grants and the future of operational funding for early education and child care.
Election day is Tuesday, November 5, 2024. This fall’s election impacts representation at the local, state, and federal level. New formal sessions start in January.
