Photo: Alyssa Haywoode for Strategies for Children

We have another advocacy opportunity for you!

But first, thank you for taking action on the state budget and continuing to support early education and care legislation.

The next step: right now the Legislature is focused on its Economic Development Bill. The House and Senate passed versions of this bill this week — each with substantial funding proposals for early education and care:

• $150 million for grants to support and stabilize the early education and care workforce and address varied operational costs at state child care programs supervised by the Department of Early Education and Care (Senate bill); and
• The i-Lottery program with dedicated revenue for an Early Education and Care Fund (House bill)

Next week a conference committee will negotiate differences between the bills.

Join us in signing an advocacy letter supporting both House and Senate proposals for early education and care. Our deadline is Monday, July 25, 2022, at 5 p.m. Act now!

Now is the time to advocate for including critical funding for early childhood education and care in the legislation, including sufficient funding for the C3 stabilization grants to be extended through Fiscal Year 2023.

Let’s build on the historic early education and care proposals pending in the FY23 state budget by securing these additional investments in our field. 

Help us show that there is deep and widespread support for the operational grants. The $150 million will ensure sufficient funding to extend the Department of Early Education and Care’s Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Grant through Fiscal Year 2023. In addition, the dedicated revenue from the i-Lottery program will position the legislature to increase future investment in the sector as outlined in the legislature’s EEC Economic Review Commission report.

Click this link to sign on to the Economic Development Bill Sign-On Letter.

Click this link to read the full letter.

The sign-on deadline is this Monday, July 25 at 5PM. This is a quick turnaround time. Help us spread the word and share this email with your networks!

This is a sign-on letter for individuals and organizations. You may use the form to sign-on as an individual and organization. If you sign-on as an individual, your full name and city/town will be listed on the letter. If you sign-on as an organization, your organization (and not your own name) will be listed on the letter. All types of organizations (associations, child care providers, advocacy organizations, unions, and any other organization that supports early childhood education) from anywhere in Massachusetts are welcome to sign on.