These slides were used during a 101 briefing on early education and care programs and funding in Massachusetts on September 15^th. The briefing covered frequently asked questions about Child Care Financial Assistance, childcare capacity in the state, what reimbursement rates and the C3 grant program are and more. MTF partnered with Strategies for Children for this briefing.

There are more than 46,000 educators employed at early education programs across the state of Massachusetts. Early educators across programs provide quality education, safe spaces, and socio-emotional learning tools to our state’s youngest learners while also supporting the ability of families to participate in the Commonwealth’s labor force. They are the workforce behind the workforce.

In 2023, MTF released a report which made several recommendations on reforms that should be made to the Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) system to ensure greater system efficiency, family engagement, outcomes for children, and support for providers. CCFA is an integral and complex part of the Commonwealth’s multi-pronged early education and care system, serving over 65,000 children across the state.

MTF’s latest chartbook, The Importance of Commonwealth Cares for Children, provides a comprehensive overview of this critical new childcare program, including:

On March 7th, Senate Bill 2697, An Act ensuring affordability, readiness and learning for our youth and driving economic development was released from the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. Senators have until Monday, March 11th to review the legislation and file amendments, debate will be on Thursday, March 14th.

As states across the country, including Massachusetts, are facing workforce shortages, employers are struggling to hire the talent they need to succeed and remain competitive in the marketplace. While there are many reasons behind the shortages, a lack of affordable and accessible child care is a well-documented contributor. Parents are finding it increasingly difficult to remain in or re-enter the workforce as child care costs reach new highs and supply continues to lag behind demand. These child care challenges overwhelmingly impact mothers.

In the last two years, MTF has deepened its engagement in child care policy due to the essential role it plays in creating economic opportunity across the state. Without it, parents cannot enter and remain in the workforce and employers cannot attract the talent they need to sustain and grow their businesses. However, our current child care system is unaffordable and inaccessible for many families, constraining the state’s economic growth.