On Tuesday, June 30, the Conference Committee released its budget (Bill H. 5555) for fiscal year 2027 (FY27). The Massachusetts House and Senate passed the compromise budget and sent it to Governor Healey on Wednesday, July 1.
On Thursday, July 9, Governor Healey signed the budget.
In addition to the FY27 state budget, the Governor has also recently signed two other state budgets – the FY26 Fair Share Supplemental Budget on (Bill H.5470) on June 12 and a $7.7 billion interim FY27 budget (Bill H. 5534) on June 30. The interim budget is a temporary budget, also called a one-twelfth budget, which is used to fund the state until the FY27 budget is finalized.
Between the FY26 Fair Share Supplemental Budget and the FY27 state budget, the state has made significant investments for early education and care in Massachusetts.
“We appreciate Governor Healey, Speaker Mariano, and Senate President Spilka’s commitment to early education and care in the FY27 budget.
In a challenging fiscal year, where difficult decisions needed to be made, we are grateful that the final budget maintains important investments that support children, families, early educators, and programs across the Commonwealth. We look forward to continuing to work with state leaders and advocates to build a stronger and more sustainable early education and care system.”
– Amy O’Leary, Strategies for Children’s Executive Director
The FY27 state budget includes $1.87 billion for early education and care, an increase from FY26 funding levels. This funding includes:
- $1.2 billion for Child Care Financial Assistance – $133 million increase above FY26 funding levels
- $597.2 million for DCF/DTA related Child Care
- $623.6 million for Income-Eligible Child Care
- $475 million for the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grants – level funding
- $17.2 million for the EEC Administration line item
- $9.17 million for EEC Administration
- $7.5 million for early education and care educator scholarship program (an additional $5 million included in the MA State Scholarship Program line item)
- $300,000 for Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc.
- $225,000 in additional earmarks
- $15.5 million for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative – $5 million reduction
- $20 million for Head Start – level funding
- $20 million for Access Management (MA CCRRs) – level funding
- $11.7 million for Family and Community Engagement Services (CFCE) – level funding
- $4.25 million for Parent Child Plus – level funding
- $1.75 million for Reach Out and Read – level funding
- $2.97 million for EEC Provider Higher Education Opportunities (Career Pathways) – level funding
- $4.95 million for Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation – $50,000 reduction
While there were reductions to a few line items, the final FY27 budget largely maintains early education and care funding. As we move into the new fiscal year, Strategies for Children will continue working with our partners to analyze the final budget and better understand the potential impacts of funding reductions for programs such as the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI).
Thank you to the early education and care community, advocates, and legislators for your continued engagement throughout the FY27 budget process and your ongoing commitment to supporting children, families, educators, and programs in Massachusetts.
Visit our Advocacy HQ and stay tuned for more budget advocacy in the weeks and months ahead.