In each issue of the Policy Pulse, you will find an overview of what’s happening with Massachusetts and national child care policy and information on what you can do to take action and join the movement for a transformed early education and care system. January brought a new federal administration, the start of the new state and federal legislative sessions, and the release of the Governor’s Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) budget proposal. As policies and their implications continue to develop daily and much remains uncertain, we will continue to share what we know and what you can do. Let’s dive in. 

What To Know

Federal Memo Freezing Federal Grants Is Rescinded

On Tuesday, January 28th, a memo was sent out by the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that would have frozen federal funding on many government programs, potentially including the federal Child Care Development Block Grant (CCDBG) which funds over 50% of the Massachusetts Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) program. After being temporarily blocked from going into effect by a federal judge, the memo itself was rescinded by OMB midday on January 29th. It is unclear what next steps, if any, the Trump administration intends to take. For the moment, however, all funds will continue as intended.  For information on how much of Massachusetts’ early education and cCare funding comes from federal versus state sources, check out Neighborhood Villages’ FY2025 Budget Debrief.

Executive Orders May Impact the Early Education and Care Sector, But Much Remains Uncertain

Since President Trump took office on January 20th, he has issued over 100 executive orders, memos, and proclamations, all of which are available on the White House website. The impact of these orders is still developing. Several have been temporarily paused due to court cases and others are going into effect. It is still unclear what the impact of these orders, especially those related to immigration and/or to work designated as pertaining to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), means for early education programs that are predominantly funded with federal dollars, including Head Start, Child Care Financial Assistance, Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) and others. We will share updates as federal and state guidance is issued and information becomes clearer. While guidance for early education and child care programs has not yet been issued, the attorney general of Massachusetts has issued guidance for K-12 schools in light of recent federal orders. 

Federal Confirmations Are In Process

We are closely tracking federal appointments for the key federal agencies that most impact early education and child care, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, The U.S. Department of Education, and the U.S. Department of Labor. To select agency heads, the president first nominates a secretary for each agency; that nominee then needs to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Here is the latest on President Trump’s  appointments: 

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS): President’s Trump's nominee for Secretary of HHS is Robert Kennedy Jr. His Senate confirmation began this week. 

• U.S. Department of Education: President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Education, Linda MacMahon, has not had her confirmation hearings scheduled.

• U.S. Department of Labor: President Trump's nominee for Secretary of Labor, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has not had her confirmation hearings scheduled

Governor Maura Healey Proposes $1.8 Billion in Funding for Early Education and Care in FY2026 Massachusetts State Budget and Supplemental Budget Proposals

Last week, Massachusetts budget season kicked off with the release of Governor Healey’s FY2026 budget proposal. The Governor is proposing a total of $1.8 billion for early education across two spending bills: $1.7 billion through the FY2026 budget proposal and an additional $1 million through a supplemental budget filed the same day. Taken together, Healey’s budget proposals include a nearly $200 million increase in funding for Child Care Financial Assistance, $46 million for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), and continued level funding for important programs such as Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operations grants, early education mental health supports, and more. Learn more about the Governor’s budget proposal on our website. Our web page on the MA budget includes a breakdown of the Governor’s budget proposal by program and information on how policy reforms set in place in July 2024 are being funded. 

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Held Board Meetings in December and January  

• Important decisions about the early education and care sector are made at monthly  meetings of the Board of Massachusetts’ Department of Early Education and Care (EEC)! Here are the highlights of the EEC Board meeting on December 18, 2024:

• EEC announced the addition of a $4 million investment in large capital grants that can be used by not-for-profit child care providers for the building or renovation of child care facilities; 

• The Co-Chairs of Gov. Healey’s Inter-Agency Early Education and Child Care Task Force reflected on the Task Force’s learnings and accomplishments in 2024 and previewed work to come; and 

• Senior EEC staff presented the Board with two options for increasing reimbursement rates for providers participating in the Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) program. These rates were informed by a cost-of-care analysis and by the amount of funding dedicated to CCFA by the Commonwealth in its FY2025 budget. Read more here.

• The EEC Board’s most recent meeting – its first meeting of 2025 – took place on January 15th. You can read the wrap-up here! Here are highlights of what happened at the January Board meeting:

• The EEC Board voted to approve EEC’s recommendation regarding how to distribute  increases in reimbursement rates for center-based providers participating in the CCFA program. Proposed rates for Family Child Care providers (FCCs) will be finalized following the conclusion of the state’s negotiations with the SEIU 509, the union representing FCCs.

• EEC will put its proposal for a loan repayment program for early childhood educators in front of the Board of Higher Education for its approval. The FY2025 state budget allocates $7.5 million for loan forgiveness for early childhood educators and program staff.

• The relatively new Behavioral Health team at EEC provided an overview of its initiatives and partnerships, including a new collaboration with the Office of the Child Advocate to offer Trauma Informed and Responsive Training opportunities. Read more here.

 What To Do

Attend  Breaking down the Budget: Understanding Governor Healey’s FY2026 Budget Proposal and What’s Next for Advocacy, Hosted by Neighborhood Villages and Strategies for Children

On February 12th at 6:30 pm, Neighborhood Villages and Strategies for Children are hosting a virtual conversation about early education and care funding in the Massachusetts state budget – everyone is welcome.

 Join us as we break down the budget process, help you better understand the Governor’s proposal, and analyze funding levels in the context of our current reality and the future we want to achieve. In this session, educators, families, and advocates will share their thoughts on budget priorities, discuss how funding levels impact daily life, and prepare for the next steps in advocacy efforts. Register here.

Contact Your State Legislator

As the Massachusetts Legislature begins a new session, now is the perfect time to reach out to your legislators to start or strengthen your relationship and remind them that there is still work to do on child care. This will be important as the legislature is deciding what to prioritize when evaluating bills and budget allocations for FY26.  Click here to find your legislators' contact info.

Understanding the State Budget: A Bootcamp for Families and Educators

Interested in deepening your knowledge about the state budget process and how to advocate for your priorities? Join Neighborhood Villages for a 4-part weekly series designed to help families and educators better understand the state budget process. Whether you’re looking to advocate for change or simply want to understand where public funding goes, this 4 part series beginning February 25th is perfect for anyone interested in the intersection of government policy and funding. Together, we’ll explore the tools and knowledge you need to engage in informed discussions and take an active role in shaping the future of our state’s budget. Register here.

Educate Yourself On Issues that Matter to You

In this moment, there is a great deal of uncertainty and confusion. We will continue to share information related to early education and care as it becomes available. If you are looking for additional resources and guidance related to recent federal policy changes in other sectors, the following sources have reliable information. We will add more resources as we gather them:

• ACLU MA - ACLU MA is a civil rights advocacy organization in Massachusetts. ACLU MA gathers important information, resources, and advice related to a variety of civil rights issues. 

• MIRA Coalition- MIRA is an immigrants’ rights policy and advocacy organization in Massachusetts. MIRA may be able to advise on immigration policy and to provide resources.

• IINE - IINE works to help connect refugees and immigrants to social and other services. IINE may be able to help guide individuals to resources and services for immigrants. 

 What’s Next

• The next meeting of the EEC Board of Directors will be on February 12, 2025 at 1:00pm. A full schedule of meetings as well as recordings and meeting materials can be found here. We will share a full recap of this meeting in the next issue of the Policy Pulse

• The Massachusetts FY2026 budget next goes to the MA House of Representatives who will take up the budget in April. 

• FY2025 federal funding bills must be filed in Congress by March 14, 2025. We will share details on any funding proposal relevant to Early Education and Care as they are filed. 

• The president continues to sign executive orders daily. We  will update you in the next issue of the Policy Pulse on any policy changes that will directly impact early education and care.