Yesterday, the House Committee on Ways and Means released its $58 billion budget proposal for fiscal year 2025.
The budget represents a 3.3% increase over the current fiscal year 2024 budget, but $150 million less than Governor Healey’s proposal released in January.
“House leaders said the budget is ‘competitive,’ despite the state collecting less in taxes than officials expected over the past nine months,” The Boston Globe reports.
In his letter to House members, Ways and Means Chair Aaron Michlewitz says, “No area has had a greater impact on our workforce than early education and care. The lack of adequate and affordable childcare threatens to be a drag on our economy. The House remains committed to investing more towards early education. As such, this FY25 budget will invest a total of $1.5 billion towards early education. This includes fully funding the Commonwealth Cares for Children, or C3, grants at $475 million and including reforms that will make the program more sustainable and more equitable for all families. This budget also includes $65 million to sustain and provide additional rate increases for early education and care providers. Also included are $30 million to reduce the income-eligible waitlist, $17.5 million for Head Start grants, and $20 million for childcare and referral agencies.”
Check out our budget webpage for more information about specific early education and care line items, including C3 grants, which are funded across three line items: 3000-1045, 3000-1048, and 1596-2410.
The House budget also proposes policy changes in outside sections. See outside sections 17 through 23 and 109 for early education and care proposals, including the early educator scholarship, new loan forgiveness program, and a data advisory.
“State representatives will file hundreds of amendments to the budget throughout the week, with debate on the full spending bill slated to kick off on April 24,” WGBH reports.
The Senate Ways and Means committee plans to release its own budget proposal in May.
For more information, contact Strategies for Children’s Deputy Director Titus DosRemedios. And check the budget webpage for future updates and advocacy opportunities.
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