Statement on MA Department of Early Education and Care Board Vote to Elect Amy Kershaw as Commissioner

Applauds EEC Board’s Recommendation of Kershaw as Commissioner During Critical Time for Child Care Reform

BOSTON, MA (February 22, 2023) - Today, Neighborhood Villages, a nonprofit that advocates for solutions to the greatest challenges faced by the early education sector, applauded the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) Board’s vote to recommend Amy Kershaw as Commissioner. Kershaw has been Acting Commissioner since March 2022.

Lauren Kennedy, co-president of Neighborhood Villages, issued the following statement:

“We are thrilled that the EEC Board has voted to appoint Amy Kershaw as Commissioner on a permanent basis. Commissioner Kershaw has been a great partner and we look forward to continuing to work with her and her team toward a future in which child care is more affordable, accessible and equitable for all children and families across the Commonwealth.

“This is a critical time for child care reform, with many top elected officials and policymakers vowing to focus on fixing this broken system and promising legislative solutions pending on Beacon Hill. The need, and the opportunity, has never been greater and we are excited to see Commissioner Kershaw remain at the helm of EEC. Together with our state partners, legislators, advocates and other stakeholders, we can create a system that works for everyone.”

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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 https://www.neighborhoodvillages.org/our-work.