Budget season is underway! Now's the time to advocate for state budget funding that benefits children in Worcester and its surrounding communities.
Let's work together to encourage Massachusetts lawmakers to keep investing in children. Read on to learn about Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey's proposed budget and how you can show your support for early education and care providers as state legislators determine how much money to allocate to them in the upcoming fiscal year.
5 Things You Need to Know About Governor Healey's Proposed State Budget
In January, Governor Healey proposed a $62 billion budget for fiscal year 2026. Here are five takeaways from Governor Healey's proposed budget for early education and care providers and the people who support them.
1. More Early Education and Care Funding Could Be Available.
Governor Healey has requested $1.7 billion in early education and care funding for FY26. If approved, this would represent a roughly 10% increase in comparison to the FY25 General Appropriations Act (GAA).
The GAA is the final state budget. It includes vetoes from the Governor, and the Legislature's overrides of these vetoes.
2. Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) Grant Funding Could Remain the Same.
The proposed budget includes $475 million for C3 grants, which first became available during the pandemic to stabilize funding for childcare. This remains level with last year's budget.
3. Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) Funding Does Not Include Additional Funding for Childcare and Out-of-School Program Vouchers.
CCFA helps families cover the costs of childcare and out-of-school time programs.
In the proposed budget, Governor Healey wants CCFA to receive $965.8 million in funding, which would represent an increase of $192 million from FY25 GAA. An additional $98 million in surtax funds could be used to support CCFA's current capacity levels and rates.
These increases account for inflation and rising costs. They do not provide additional vouchers for childcare and out-of-school programs. In Worcester, the wait list for these vouchers currently includes approximately 1,453 children.
4. The Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) Could Receive an Additional $50 Million in Funding.
CPPI grants foster partnerships between school districts and early education and care programs, as they help increase access to high quality preschool in high-need communities.
In October 2024, Governor Healey announced 30 school districts received $20.3 million in CPPI grants. At this time, Worcester Public Schools (WPS) was awarded a CPPI grant of $750,000 for continuing implementation and maintenance of high quality preschool programs and initiatives.
Current CPPI grants are set to expire in August, and Governor Healey's proposed budget funds CPPI at $17.7 million. Through a surplus supplemental tax budget, CPPI could get an additional $50 million for program maintenance and could allow for expansion in Worcester.
5. The Budget Could Provide $100 Million for Other Key Early Education and Care Initiatives.
Governor Healey included $100 million in a surplus supplemental tax budget for early education and care initiatives. This funding would support workforce, affordability, and quality improvements across the sector.
What the Proposed Budget Means for Early Education and Care Providers in Massachusetts
Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler spoke about the state budget during Strategies for Children's The 9:30 Call on February 11, 2025.
Tutwiler noted that the Commonwealth continues "to be a leader in education." However, he pointed out that plenty of work lies ahead relative to budget planning and making sure early education and care providers get the funding they need to be successful.
"We want to make sure that the young people and valued educators … are safe, feel seen, and can succeed," he said. "We've made progress, but that doesn't mean that the winds of progress will always be at our back."
Latoya Gayle, Senior Director of Advocacy for Neighborhood Villages, a Boston-based nonprofit focused on early education and care policy reform, discussed the relationship between budget funding and costs during a Budget Breakdown presentation on February 12, 2025.
Gayle pointed out that "funding is level but costs have increased" in the proposed budget. This has the potential to impact early education and care providers and the communities they serve.
"Everyone gets a smaller piece of a big pie when we all need a bigger pie," Gayle stated. "When we're not increasing the line items when the costs of doing business increases, it feels like a cut."
Next Steps in the State Budget Process
From February to May, the Massachusetts House of Representatives and Senate will create budget proposals. After the House and Senate approve their respective budgets, a Conference Committee reviews them.
The Conference Committee includes the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Ways and Means. Committee members work together to bridge the gaps between the House and Senate's proposed budgets. From here, a finalized version of the state budget is sent to Governor Healey for approval.
Make Your Voice Heard During the Budget Process
Advocacy matters as the state legislature tries to figure out what to prioritize, Gayle said. What you do now could impact the funding provided to early education and care providers in FY26 and beyond.
Reach out to your elected officials in your city or town today. Click here to email your state representative or call your state representative or senator and explain why they should fund early education and care programs and initiatives.
"Between now and when the House releases their budget is the best time to reach out to your state representative and share your budget priorities," said Marisa Fear, Strategies for Children's Director of Policy.
Show your support for the many organizations that continue to advocate for early education and care providers, parents, guardians, and families to get involved in the budget process, including:
- Neighborhood Villages, a nonprofit focused on early education and care, which hosted a State Budget Bootcamp to teach families and educators about the budget and its potential impact.
- Massachusetts Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and the Massachusetts Association of Early Education and & Care (MADCA), both of which hosted Advocacy Days at the State House in March to ask legislators for their continued support and investments for children.
- Strategies for Children, which hosts its The 9:30 Call on Monday through Thursday at 9:30 a.m. focused on state budget planning and other early education and care topics.
Strategies for Children will also host two Budget Breakdown presentations this spring:
- Budget Breakdown: Understanding the House's Proposal and What Comes Next on May 7 at 6:30 p.m.
- Budget Breakdown: Understanding the Senate's Proposal and What Comes Next on June 11 at 6:30 p.m.
These presentations will be hosted on Zoom — sign up for The 9:30 Call to stay updated about them.
Edward Street is following the FY26 budget closely. We will continue to keep early education and care providers, parents, guardians, and families informed about the state budget.
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