Breaking news from the State House: the legislative Conference Committee has released its budget for fiscal year 2025 – and it includes GREAT NEWS for early education and care.
Your advocacy has paid off in a big way! This budget invests in high-quality early education and care by: sustaining C3 grants at $475 million, and funding workforce development, preschool expansion (CPPI), child care waitlist reduction, child care affordability, Head Start, and more.
Click the following links for the full budget document (early education and care starts on page 80), the line item summary and the outside section summary (there are many early education and care items!).
The Legislature passed the budget on Friday, sending it to Governor Maura Healey. And as a State House News Service story posted by WBUR reports, Governor Healey “will have 10 days to review the budget before signing it and returning any amendments and vetoes. With formal sessions set to end for the year on July 31, the late budget means House and Senate Democrats may have left themselves a tight window to field any budget measures vetoed or returned by the governor with proposed amendments.”
We are grateful to Senate President Karen Spilka, Speaker of the House Ron Mariano, and members of the Conference Committee: Senate Ways and Means Chairman Michael Rodrigues, House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz, Senate Ways and Means Vice Chair Cindy F. Friedman, House Ways and Means Vice Chair Ann-Margaret Ferrante, Senator Patrick M. O’Connor and Representative Todd M. Smola along with members of the legislature for their work and negotiations throughout the FY’25 State Budget Process.
We will continue to analyze the conference committee proposal, and we will share additional information on The 9:30 Call and the Eye on Early Childhood blog.
Please be sure to thank the Conference Committee for their work and encourage Governor Healey to support this wise investment in early education and care.