The Massachusetts Senate is finalizing its fiscal year 2027 budget proposal. Between Tuesday, May 5, and Friday, May 8, senators filed amendments in response to the Senate Committee on Ways and Means’ budget proposal, including several amendments that would support and strengthen early education and care in Massachusetts.

This week, the Senate is focused on bundling these amendments by topic area and will begin the Senate budget debate on Monday, May 18. The full Senate is expected to vote on their final budget proposal later that week.

Ask your state senator to support these amendments!

Now is the time to contact your state senator and ask them to support these important early education and care amendments:

• Amendment #727 (Senator Payano) increases funding for CPPI and Summer Step Up in line item 3000-6025 for a total of $37.95 million, including an additional $1 million for Summer Step Up.

• Amendment #696 (Senator Lovely) increases funding for CPPI and Summer Step Up in line item 3000-6025 for a total of $36.95 million.

• Amendment #711 (Senator Kennedy) increases funding levels for Access Management by $2 million for a total of $22 million in line item 3000-2000.

• Amendment #635 (Senator Oliveira) increases funding levels for Head Start by $4.56 million for a total of $24.56 million in line item 3000-5000.

• Amendment #709 (Senator Kennedy) adds $15 million to line item 1596-2434 for a reimbursement rate increase for Family Child Care.

• Amendment #606 (Senator Cronin) restores funding to Reach Out and Read by adding $1.75 million to line item 3000-7055.

• Amendment #706 (Senator Lovely) increases funding levels for Parent Child Plus by $500,000 for a total of $4.75 million in line item 3000-7052.

• Amendment #633 (Senator Crighton) increases funding levels for Afterschool and Out of School Time by $3 million for a total of $10,453,178 in line item 7061-9611.

• Amendment #667 (Senator Jehlen) earmarks $300,000 for Jumpstart in line item 3000-1000.

• Amendment #651 (Senator Lewis) adds $10 million for the early literacy initiative: Literacy Launch.

You can customize and personalize the message to your state senator. After the Senate finalizes their budget proposal, the process will move to the Conference Committee.

Visit SFC’s Advocacy HQ and stay tuned for more budget advocacy in the weeks and months ahead.

Remember, this is just one step in the state budget process.