Common Start Coalition Applauds Healey’s Budget Commitment to Early Education and Child Care

The Common Start Coalition, a diverse group of more than 170 organizations and thousands of individuals focused on establishing a system of affordable, high-quality early education and child care for Massachusetts families, applauds the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s continued commitment to the Common Start Vision with the release of their Fiscal Year 2025 budget plan.

Governor Healey's FY25 budget plan, announced this week, proposes progress towards three major elements of the Common Start vision:

• Continuing $475 million in annual funding for Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operational grants to early education and care (EEC) providers, which help offset providers' operating costs including higher educator pay.

• $75 million to expand eligibility for EEC financial assistance to additional families.

• $20 million to raise reimbursement rates for providers who accept EEC financial assistance, helping to increase access by increasing the number of programs that are willing and able to accept financial assistance, allowing programs to invest in quality, and raising workforce salaries.

Amid flat state tax collections and a difficult overall budget environment, the Common Start Coalition is grateful to see the Healey-Driscoll Administration prioritizing new investments in early education and child care that will advance the Common Start agenda. We look forward to working with the Administration, the House, and the Senate to build on the progress we’ve made together in recent years, and continue making high-quality early education and child care more affordable and accessible to Massachusetts families.