Neighborhood Villages Stands Strong in Support of Child Care Reform Bill Urging Immediate Action
BOSTON, MA (October 17, 2023) - Today, Neighborhood Villages–a Boston-based systems-change nonprofit that advocates for solutions to the greatest challenges faced by the early education sector–rallied at the Massachusetts State House in support of two child care bills (H.489/S.301) that would help make child care more affordable for more families.
These pieces of legislation, commonly referred to as the Common Start bills, would stimulate growth in the Massachusetts economy, help boost wages for early educators, and invest in direct-to-provider operations grants that pave the way for high-quality early learning programs.
Among the various providers, experts, and supporters that spoke at the hearing, Pamela Thompson, Director of Teaching and Learning for Neighborhood Villages and early education practitioner, provided testimony before the Joint Committee on Education.
“Countless studies show how access to high quality early education improves outcomes for individual children over their lifetime, yields benefits in the near and long term for families, and improves the economic, health, and educational wellbeing of communities,” stated Pamela Thompson. “Yet we continue to undervalue and under invest in the early education and care sector, which predominantly employs women, especially those of color. Through our work at Neighborhood Villages directly supporting educators, and providing pathways for them to enter and improve their skills in the field, we see firsthand the challenges faced and the impact that investments and structural supports can have within the sector.”
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About Neighborhood Villages
Neighborhood Villages, founded in 2017 by Lauren Kennedy and Sarah Muncey, is a Boston-based systems-change non-profit that advocates for early education and care policy reform and implements scalable solutions that address the biggest challenges facing providers and the families who rely on them. For more information, visit here.
