On July 31, 2019, Governor Charlie Baker signed the FY20 state budget into law. The new budget includes good news for early education and care, so please take a minute to thank the governor and members of the Legislature.
The governor did not veto any spending, preserving the $43.3 billion conference committee budget which was passed by the Legislature on July 22, 2019.
This year’s budget was bolstered by increased tax collections, and it includes a plan to control pharmaceutical drug costs, according to State House News Service.
The FY20 budget for early education and care represents continued progress and investment. This is the seventh consecutive budget since the historic spending low-point of FY13 that increases investments in young children, families, and early educators. It is the second year in a row that state investment has exceeded the pre-recession high-point of investment in FY09.
The FY20 budget also includes a $20 million rate increase for early educator salaries, $5 million in preschool grants through the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative, and $5 million in workforce development grants to community colleges.
We’ve posted a complete list of early education line items as well as a Department of Early Education and Care funding trends chart that covers fiscal years 2009 to 2020.
So please let Governor Baker and your state legislators know that you appreciate them for investing in high-quality early education in this year’s state budget.
For more information, contact Titus DosRemedios at tdosremedios@strategiesforchildren.org or (617) 330-7387.
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