New bill would limit preschool, child care costs for Mass. families - Boston Business Journal
By Greg Ryan
State lawmakers plan to file first-of-its-kind legislation on Tuesday that would create what advocates call a universal system of early education and child care in Massachusetts, including a hard cap on what all families pay for the services.
If passed into law, the proposal could ultimately cost well north of $1 billion annually, according to an early estimate. It would change the way that many preschools and other centers are reimbursed by the state, with a goal of creating a more stable source of funding and boosting pay for early childhood educators.
The measure is the culmination of more than two years of work by a coalition of educators, labor unions, community organizations and other groups, including some of the same forces who pushed successfully to raise the state minimum wage to $15 per hour and to create a paid family and medical leave program.
The coalition also includes the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, one of the state’s more powerful business groups.