Photo: Alyssa Haywoode for Strategies for Children

On Monday, the Massachusetts Legislature announced the six conference committee members who will negotiate differences between House and Senate proposals for the fiscal year 2019 state budget.

Budget Conference Committee:

House Ways and Means Chairman Jeffrey Sánchez
Representative Stephen Kulik
Representative Todd Smola

Senate Ways and Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka
Senator Joan Lovely
Senator Vinny deMacedo

Now is the time for advocacy! Please take a moment to ask the conference committee to invest in early educators.

Millions of dollars are at stake in this year’s budget, including $28.5 million for the early education and care workforce. Please take action to ensure the maximum possible investment in the commonwealth’s young children, families, and early educators.

Specific line items include:

• Rate Reserve for Early Educators (3000-1042): House funding level of $20 million, to increase salaries for educators in subsidized programs.

• Workforce Development Initiative (3000-7066): House funding level of $8.5 million, for early educator professional development and higher education opportunities.

• EEC Administration (3000-1000): Senate funding level of $6.02 million, with Senate language for Jumpstart earmark of $100,000.

• Quality Improvement (3000-1020): House funding level of $30.37 million, with House language for QRIS earmark of $400,000.

• Access Management (3000-2000): Senate funding level of $8.68 million, for child care resource and referral agencies.

• Head Start (3000-5000): House funding level of $9.6 million.

• Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (3000-6025): Senate funding level of $5 million, to implement preschool in high-needs communities that have expansion plans.

• Services for Infants and Parents (3000-7050): House funding level of $13.74 million, with House language for Parent-Child Home Program earmark of $200,000.

• Reach Out and Read (3000-7070): House funding level of $1 million.

• Massachusetts State Scholarship Program (7070-0065): House funding level of $103.69 million and House language preserving FY18 funding levels for ECE Scholarship.

Take action now – email the conference committee!

For additional information, visit Strategies for Children’s website.