Dear legislative leaders:

Please advocate for the maximum funding possible in high-quality early education and care in the FY23 state budget. Our economic recovery depends on a fully-staffed, adequately resourced early education and care field. Ongoing staffing shortages mean that early education and care programs are open but operating with lower enrollment and closed classrooms. Many industries are experiencing similar shortages, but a workforce shortage in child care means people cannot return to work and our state and local economy cannot fully recover.

Please include these items in the FY23 conference committee budget:

• Rate Increase for Early Educators (3000-1042) – House funding of $70 million, includes $10 million for grants to early education and care providers for costs associated with personal childcare.
• Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Stabilization Grants (3000-1045) – Senate funding of $250 million.
• Early Education & Care Infrastructure and Policy Reform Reserve (3000-1046) – Senate funding of $25 million. Includes funding for resource and referral agencies to provide additional navigational support and outreach to subsidy-eligible families, EEC review of subsidy regulations and policies that support program stability, EEC evaluation of an improved funding model for child care sustainability and quality, including a classroom based funding model, and financial assistance to early childhood educators employed by programs serving high percentages of subsidized families.

• Access Management (3000-2000) – House funding of $15 million. Supports regional child care resource and referral agencies.
• Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (3000-6025) – Senate funding of $15 million. Sustains and expands local preschool expansion efforts through the mixed-provider system of public schools and community-based EEC-licensed programs.
• Early Childhood Mental Health (3000-6075) – Senate funding of $3.5 million.
• Workforce Development Initiative (3000-7066) – House funding of $10 million. Sustains professional development and higher education opportunities at our community colleges.
• Massachusetts State Scholarship Program (7070-0065) – Senate language providing $5 million for the Early Childhood Educator Scholarship.

• EEC Administration (3000-1000) – $11.97 million, including House provision of $5 million for  navigation support and outreach to families, and language stating "that any subsidies paid through items 3000-3060 and 3000-4060 shall be paid based on enrollment." Include Senate provisions: $350,000 for Jumpstart and $25,000 for East End House in Cambridge.
• Parent Child+ (3000-7052) – House funding of $4 million.
• Reach Out and Read (3000-7070) – House funding of $1.55 million.

Thank you for your leadership and investment in high-quality early education and care, for young children, families, educators, and communities.