Policy Pulse #12

This year marks one year of the Neighborhood Villages Policy Pulse! For the last 12 months, we have been sharing a monthly overview of what’s happening with Massachusetts and national child care policy and providing information on what you can do to take action and join the movement for a transformed early education and care system. Thank you for reading and using our resources, reports, and advocacy tools as you navigate the complex and ever changing early education landscape in Massachusetts and at the Federal level. We hope you will continue to work with us towards a transformed early education system, especially in these uncertain times. Let’s dive in.

What To Know

Massachusetts State Budget Goes to Conference

The MA House of Representatives and State Senate have each made their budget proposals for FY2026. Both budgets total over $61 billion and include over $1.7 billion for early education and child care. Both proposals level fund the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program at $475 million and increase funding for Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA). A six-member conference committee will now determine the final budget, finding compromise on any areas that differ between the two budgets. 

Check out Neighborhood Villages’ MA state budget page for more details on each proposal, to find out what’s going to conference for early education and care, and to learn more about the FY2026 budget process.

Governor Healey Signs Supplemental Budget for Early Education and Care

On May 30th, the Governor signed a supplemental budget bill (S.2521), appropriating almost $190 million for the Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) program. These funds will allow the Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) to make its payments to providers for the remainder of FY2025 for services provided for May and June.

The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Held its May Board Meeting

• The Board of Massachusetts’ Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) most recently met on May 14th. 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 FY2026 state budget

• A discussion of the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative and key changes to the program

• An updated on the new educator credential by EEC and the new educator credential working group; read more here!

U.S. House of Representatives Approves Budget Bill Cutting Medicaid

Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a budget bill detailing how they would make cuts previously determined by Congress. The bill includes significant changes to Medicaid, including cutting more than $600 billion from the program and adding work requirements to receive Medicaid. If this bill becomes federal law, it will be devastating for the Massachusetts early education sector. In Massachusetts, 30.8% of early educators rely on MassHealth for health insurance, and 41% of early educator households utilize one or more public safety net programs, including Medicaid, Earned Income Tax Credit, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. 48% of children in Massachusetts access health care through MassHealth. Medicaid funds account for nearly 20% of the Massachusetts annual budget and 50% of the MassHealth program. According to MassBudget, without intervention from the MA legislature, an estimated 200,000 people would lose coverage in MA. 

Federal Budget Process Continues with President’s Full Budget Proposal

The president released his formal budget proposal, following a “skinny” budget released last month. The budget proposal includes $163 billion (22.6%) in spending cuts across various federal agencies while increasing defense spending by $1.01 trillion (13%). Only Congress can allocate federal funding. However, Congress may take President Trump’s budget proposal under consideration as it determines the budget. The president’s budget level funds Head Start and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). To better understand the impacts this budget proposal would have on Massachusetts, read our newest fact sheet. 

What To Do

Tell Your MA Legislators Your FY2026 Budget Priorities!

The Massachusetts FY2026 budget is headed to the conference committee; this is a critical moment. Contact the conference committee and urge them to prioritize child care funding in the final budget. Find your state legislators here. Your input is crucial. Contact them today!

Join Us June 11: FY2026 Budget Breakdown with Strategies for Children

Want to understand what’s happening with the state budget, and how you can make an impact? Join us and Strategies for Children on June 11th for our next Budget Breakdown event. We’ll walk through the FY2026 budget process, explain what’s at stake in conference committee, and share ways you can advocate for your priorities. Register here.

Share Your Thoughts on the Commonwealth Care for Children Program

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) is seeking feedback from providers on how to improve the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) program. You can use their feedback form to provide feedback on your experience and what you would like to see for the future of the program. 

What’s Next

• The next meeting of the EEC Board of Directors will be on June 11th at 1:00pm. 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 next issue of the Policy Pulse.

• The Massachusetts FY2026 state budget is now with the conference committee. The final budget is expected by July 1st.