Child Care Policies Active Across Several Fronts – State House News Service
By Colin Young
Advocates for children, families and the child care workforce are busy on a number of fronts this summer, lobbying the state budget and tax relief conference committees on a handful of specific policies while also eyeing the possibility that the Legislature could take more sweeping action related to early education and child care later this year.
It will take an estimated $1.5 billion investment to stabilize the Massachusetts early education and care system and help it meet the needs of families, a legislative commission found last year. The importance and vulnerabilities of the early education and care field came into focus when the pandemic closed schools and child care centers, upending the work routines of parents, and advocates have said Beacon Hill has an chance to settle and reshape the sector…
Next month, the Common Start Coalition is planning a "family-friendly rally" at the State House to "remind the legislature about the importance of the Common Start vision" of affordable, high-quality early education and child care. The July 13 event will also serve as a chance for supporters to urge lawmakers to back legislation that would put Massachusetts on a course toward a system of universal early education and child care for all families.
"So this is really meant to sort of keep the momentum keep the focus on early education and child care as we head into the summer months, expecting that there might be some action in the fall related to this," Strategies for Children Associate Director of Research and Policy Marisa Fear said.
Two similar bills (H 489 / S 301) would expand subsidies for families to send their child to early care or education programs, permanently establish "direct-to-provider" funding for operating costs, and offer higher salaries and expanded professional development opportunities for early educators.