Screenshot: Governor Healey’s Instagram page

Join us in thanking Governor Healey for prioritizing early education and care investments in her Fiscal Year 2025 state budget proposal!

Add your name and/or organization to this sign-on letter. The deadline is 5 p.m. on Monday, February 19th.

The letter says in part:

“We are particularly grateful for the inclusion of the following investments in addition to many others in the sector:

• $475 million in annual funding to sustain the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operational funding for early education and care (EEC) providers;

•$75 million to increase access to EEC financial assistance for additional families

• $20 million to increase the reimbursement rate for providers who accept family financial assistance, bringing it closer to the cost of care; and

• $15.5 million to expand the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), which supports local communities to expand preschool in the mixed delivery system.”

“Your continued support and advocacy for such critical components demonstrates your dedication to creating a robust and accessible early education and care system for all Massachusetts families. Thank you for your leadership, as these investments not only address immediate needs, but also lay the foundation for further systemic change.”

A few logistics for signing on to the letter:

• If you sign-on as an individual, your full name and city/town will be listed on the letter

• If you sign-on as an organization, your organization (and not your own name) will be listed on the letter

• All types of organizations (associations, child care providers, advocacy organizations, unions, and any other organization that supports ECE) from anywhere in Massachusetts are welcome to sign on

This is just the beginning of the budget process.

The House Ways & Means budget recommendations come out in April. And in the coming weeks, we’ll encourage you to contact your state representatives and ask them to continue prioritizing early education and care.

Budget season is a busy time of year for advocacy. We look forward to doing this work together.