Policy Pulse #14
Welcome back. As we enter September, the back to school season, and the restart of legislative activity, we are focused on what is upcoming this fall in Massachusetts and federally for early education and child care. In each issue of the Policy Pulse, we share an overview of what’s happening in Massachusetts and national child care policy and information on what you can do to take action and join the movement for a transformed early education and care system. You’ll also find resources, reports, and advocacy tools. In this issue we share important updates about the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program, upcoming events, and what to expect this fall at the state and federal level. Let’s dive in.
What To Know
Important Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) updates at special Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care August Board Meeting
The Board of Massachusetts’ Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) most recently met on August 13, 2025. Important decisions about the early education and care sector are made at monthly EEC board meetings, and you can read the wrap-up here! Here are highlights of what happened at the May board meeting:
An update on the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) grant program formula
A discussion about the formula and proposed public comment period
A vote to approve the formula and public comment period; read more here!
MA Joint Committee on Education Holds Hearing on Bills Related to Early Education and Care
On September 2nd at 1:00pm the Joint Committee on Education holds a hearing on eighteen bills related to early education and care in including several related to increasing access to PreK, cost transparency for child care tuition, and increasing reimbursement to Family Friend and Neighbor (FFN) providers who are compensated through the Child Care Financial Assistance Program. The legislature’s website has the live stream and recording as well as a full list of the bills being discussed. Written testimony can also be submitted by emailing jointcommittee.education@malegislature.gov
Department of Health and Human Services reclassifies Head Start
On July 10, 2025, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services released a notice that reclassified Head Start as a “federal public benefit.” This reclassification makes certain immigrant children, both those with legal status and undocumented children, ineligible for Head Start.
Department of Early Education and Child Care celebrates 20 years
In 2005, Massachusetts became the first state in the country to create a department of early education and care - a crucial step for infrastructure and governance for early education. Now 25 states have a similar agency or consolidated entity overseeing the administration of child care. Over the last 20 years in Massachusetts, the number of children receiving state financial assistance has doubled; the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program was introduced and made permanent, a key step towards operational funding for the sector; the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) launched and now supports 30 school districts in implementing high quality PreK; and funding for the sectors has tripled.
What To Do
Join Us September 17th at 1pm for Progress and Potential: The 2024 MA Child Care Reforms. In this webinar we’ll dig into what the 2024 early education legislative reforms mean for family affordability, operations funding, educator compensation, and key Massachusetts early education programs. Register here.
Make Your Voice Heard on the C3 Formula
Submit a public comment in writing! You can find more information on how here. The public comment period is open until September 12, 2025.
Attend EEC’s C3 formula public hearing to provide verbal comment! EEC will host a public hearing on Monday, September 8th between 6pm and 7:30pm, where you can learn more about the proposal, offer live public comment, and hear about additional legislatively-required changes taking place in FY26. You can find details on how to participate here.
What’s Next
The next meeting of the EEC Board of Directors will be on September 10, 2025 at 1pm in Boston. A full schedule of meetings as well as recordings and meeting materials can be found here. We will share a full recap of this meeting in the issue of the Policy Pulse that comes out after the meeting.
This fall, following the September 2nd hearing, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Education will determine which bills related to early education and care will advance to be reviewed by the entire legislature.
The U.S. Congress returns from recess this month and is expected to take up funding bills that could have an impact on Head Start, the Child Care Development and Block Grant (CCDBG), which funds the Child Care Financial Assistance Program (CCFA), and tax credits related to early education and child care.