Policy Pulse #20
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. In each edition, you will also find resources, reports, and advocacy tools. In this issue, we highlight legislative actions on child care, including the status of the Massachusetts FY2027 and federal budget processes, updates coming from the MA Department of Early Education and Care (EEC), as well as actions to take and what’s coming up next. Let’s dive in!
What To Know
The Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care Held its February Board Meeting
The Board of Massachusetts’ Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) most recently met on February 11, 2026. Important decisions about the early education and care sector are made at monthly EEC Board meetings, and you can read the wrap-up here! Some highlights from the February Board meeting are:
A review of the Governor’s Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 Budget Proposal for EEC;
A vote to approve EEC’s Child Care Financial Assistance FY2026 Rate Increase;
A review of the Education-to-Career Research and Data Hub; and
An update on EEC’s Research Agenda.
Massachusetts Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler Steps Down
On February 13, Dr. Patrick Tutwiler stepped down from his role as Secretary of the MA Executive Office of Education. EEC Commissioner Amy Kershaw will serve as interim Secretary until Dr. Tutwiler’s successor, Dr. Stephen Zrike Jr., assumes the role in March. We thank Dr. Secretary Tutwiler for his service and for his support of early education and care!
Federal Budget Update
On February 3, President Trump signed a budget bill that provides funding for several federal agencies for the remainder of FY2026. The bill includes increased funding for Head Start, the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), and the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG). CSBG supports services and activities for low income individuals and families that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty. CCDBG provides the federal dollars that partially fund Massachusetts’ Child Care Financial Assistance (CCFA) program, which helps lower-income, eligible families pay for child care and out-of-school time programs. The federal bill also includes level funding for the Preschool Development Grant and the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program.
Massachusetts State Budget Update
On January 28, Governor Maura Healey shared her $68 Billion FY2027 budget proposal. It makes a $1.8 Billion investment in the Early Education and Care sector, inclusive of $1.22 Billion for the Commonwealth’s public CCFA program. While the budget proposal increases funding for key programs such as CCFA, it leaves other programs - such as the Commonwealth Cares for Children (C3) operations grants program - at level funding at a time when costs for the sector have increased. The proposal does not include funding for loan forgiveness or scholarships for educators. Overall, however, against the context of an uncertain federal landscape, the Governor’s FY27 budget proposal demonstrates prioritization of family access to early education and care. For more information about the budget and how it impacts early education and care check out our one-pager and brief.
Governor Healey Takes Action to Protect Residents from ICE
On January 29, Governor Healey filed legislation intended to keep U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of courthouses, schools, child care programs, hospitals, and churches. The legislation also allows parents to pre-arrange guardianship for their children, in case they are detained or deported.
San Francisco Follows New York City in Making Investments to Lower Cost of Child Care
Mayor Daniel Lurie of San Francisco announced a plan in January to expand access to child care for children under five years old by making investments to improve affordability. The proposal outlined the city’s intention to use unspent funds to enhance child care subsidies for families. Under the plan, free child care will be available to children under five in families earning less than $230,000 a year and families earning up to $310,000 a year will receive a 50% subsidy.
Brookings Institution Research Highlights Challenges Faced by Families on Waitlist for Child Care Financial Assistance
Brookings Institution, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, partnered with the Virginia Department of Education to survey its families who were placed on the waitlist for a child care financial subsidy between July 2024 and May 2025. The survey yielded more than 6,500 responses and revealed the challenges these families faced. Notably, more than three quarters of respondents indicated working less than desired due to child care challenges, while almost half of respondents indicated that at least one family member left their job to provide child care.
What To Do
Stay Up to Date as the Massachusetts FY2027 Budget Season Unfolds
Now is the most critical time to ensure that the early education sector’s priorities are reflected in the final FY2027 state budget. The budget serves as a roadmap for the coming fiscal year, determining exactly how much public financial support will be directed toward the Commonwealth's child care infrastructure. With the Governor’s proposal now under review by the House Ways and Means Committee, it is imperative that legislators on Beacon Hill hear from advocates. Please reach out to your Representative to articulate your specific funding priorities. Find your legislators and their contact information via the Massachusetts Legislature’s look-up tool here: malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator
Register for Playtopia
On Saturday, March 28, Neighborhood Villages will be hosting its second annual early education conference in Boston, Playtopia - Make Way for Play. Playtopia will introduce educators to the concept of play as a powerful tool to improve public health, thereby broadening educators’ toolkits regarding how to talk about early education and care as a public policy issue. The conference will run from 9:30am-4pm. Register today and don’t miss out!
Attend the Office of Refugees and Immigrants Know Your Rights Training
On February 26, Massachusetts’ Office of Refugees and Immigrants, in collaboration with the Department of EEC, is hosting a special “Know Your Rights” training for early educators. You can find more information here.
What’s Next
The next meeting of the EEC Board of Directors will be on March 11 at 1pm in Quincy. 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 Policy Pulse.
Check out Neighborhood Villages’ FY2027 Budget page for key information on MA budget proposals!