Healey-Driscoll Administration Kicks Off Early Education and Child Care Task Force
Governor Healey employs a whole-of-government approach to make child care more affordable and accessible
ROXBURY – Members of the Healey-Driscoll Administration kicked off today the first meeting of the Early Education and Child Care Task Force at Horizons for Homeless Children in Roxbury. Earlier this year, Governor Healey signed Executive Order 625 that established this task force, recognizing the essential role child care plays in driving the state’s economy and competitiveness forward. The order directs her administration to take a whole-of-government approach to lead the nation in ensuring affordable, high-quality child care. These efforts are a key component of the administration’s ‘Gateway to Pre-k’ agenda to make early education and child care more affordable and accessible for all families across Massachusetts.
“We know that far too many parents find it difficult to return to the workforce because of the high cost of child care, and providers are facing the difficult decision between continuing in the profession they love or leaving for a higher-paid career,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Child care is central to the success of our entire state – for affordability, education, workforce, equity, and our economic potential – and together we are taking important steps toward solutions.”
“The Early Education and Child Care Task Force will better equip Massachusetts to make our early education and care system work better for everyone, so that our youngest learners can access the high-quality education they need to succeed in school and beyond, while also supporting our local economy and communities,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We look forward to the recommendations they develop so that we can take bigger and bolder action across our administration.”
The Early Education and Child Care Task Force is chaired by the Secretaries of Education, Labor and Workforce Development, and Economic Development, and includes all other secretariats or their designees.
“Within my first week in this administration, Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll let me know that they were looking for a solution for the challenges facing our child care system. The Early Education and Child Care Task Force will be instrumental in bringing thoughtful and innovative solutions to the table to ensure Massachusetts leads in addressing the challenges we are seeing in early education and care today,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “I look forward to engaging with experts from the other Executive Offices to transform how we approach early education and care.”
“Child care and early education are critical enablers for economic growth in Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “Through this task force, the administration will take a whole-of-government approach to ensure that the state has equitable child care solutions to meet the needs of the workforce and economy, making Massachusetts the best place to raise a family, grow a business, and succeed in a fulfilling career.”
“Affordable, accessible, and quality child care is a significant infrastructure needed in Massachusetts, and an imperative to drive the state’s economic competitiveness,” said Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development Lauren Jones. “I look forward to working with my colleagues across government and with business and community partners to build a strong pipeline of early childhood educators and also enhance the system to encourage our untapped talent to fully participate in our workforce.”
“The administration's ‘Gateway to Pre-K' agenda sets Massachusetts on the path towards fundamentally transforming our early education system. We are not only looking at what is within EEC to advance, but are also working with our colleagues across state government to see how their unique expertise and leadership can promote accessible and affordable child care. Team Massachusetts is utilizing all tools available so our youngest students can enter school ready for success, while helping families work and drive our economy forward,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw.
The Task Force will engage
with industry and business leaders, organized labor, health services
stakeholders, housing and planning experts, working parents and caregivers,
and child care providers and experts in order to craft
recommendations aligned with the following five policy objectives:
- Surveying practices of other
states in reducing costs, increasing capacity, and improving quality
of child care providers and making recommendations for how such
practices could be adopted in Massachusetts;
- Assessing how better coordination
among state agencies could support families in accessing child
care that meets their needs, including through technology
improvements;
- Identifying resources for
building capacity and increasing affordability in the
state’s mixed-delivery child care system, including from the
federal government, the philanthropic community, and employers, which may
include exploring incentives for employers to assist employees with child
care;
- Identifying strategies to
recruit, train, upskill, and retain members of the child
care workforce, including by expanding apprenticeship initiatives,
higher education programs, and training opportunities;
- Reviewing existing assets to identify potential locations to establish center-based care, which shall include consulting with the Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities and the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance regarding their work identifying surplus and underutilized land for housing pursuant to executive Order No. 623.
“We have worked hard over the first 15 months of our administration to identify and build into our state budget the essential resources needed to build up and support our child care providers, educators, and families. While these efforts have been critical to stabilize our early education system and make it more affordable for families, we know more can be done. I look forward to the work of this task force and exploring all ways we can strengthen this important pillar of our educational and economic future,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz.
"As we continue to invest in climatetech and clean energy industries, we must also prioritize investments in the future of our children and families. By doing so, we can ensure that we build a sustainable future that benefits everyone," said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. "The Early Education and Child Care Task Force is a call to action for all of government, aimed at fulfilling the needs of all our residents by offering more affordable and accessible child care."
"Families across Massachusetts uniquely know what they need in order to help their children thrive," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Kate Walsh. "For every child to reach their full potential, we need to help them get their healthiest start by implementing innovative technology across all of our different agencies that allows for access to affordable, equitable, and high-quality child care. The Executive Office of Health and Human Services is excited to work with all of the other Secretariats in this task force to make this this an affordable reality, knowing it will take the work of many."
“The Early Education and Child Care Task Force will help Massachusetts families thrive,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “Access to housing and affordable child care are top priorities for the Healey-Driscoll Administration. Because children need stable housing to be able to focus on their homework, and parents need reliable and affordable child care to build a better future for their loved ones. This task force, along with the Affordable Homes Act helps us reach these important goals.”
“The Executive Office of Public Safety and Security is deeply committed to supporting our state and local public safety personnel by ensuring access to high quality and affordable child care that meets the unique needs of emergency responders,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “We look forward to working collaboratively across state government at the direction of Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll to identify innovative solutions that support families and contribute to our ability to recruit and retain the next generation of public safety professionals.”
“The Early Education Task Force is a great example of this Administration’s recognition that important issues like affordable, high-quality child care need teamwork across issue areas and breaking down information silos,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “EOTSS believes that the best policy decisions must be data-driven, and I look forward to finding means for data and technology to drive the transformative goals of this Task Force.”
“We all play a part in helping our young people succeed and thrive wherever they live. Safety, access, and opportunity are at the core of the state’s transportation system and are critical elements of the Early Education and Child Care Task Force,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Monica Tibbits-Nutt. “We stand ready to work with the Task Force and the Healey-Driscoll Administration to further these goals and advance the administration’s vision for early education success.”
“The Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) is proud to collaborate with our fellow secretariats across the cabinet to contribute to this vital initiative aimed at making high-quality child care more accessible and affordable for families statewide. By unleashing the potential of every child through robust early education and care, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future for all," said Veterans Services Secretary Jon Santiago.
Task Force members will
meet monthly and report annually to Governor Healey on the status of its work,
including any interim or final recommendations, the results and findings of any
implemented pilot programs, and on any initiatives or policy changes made
within secretariats to increase access to and affordability of
high-quality child care. Learn more about the Task Force at Mass.gov/ChildCareTaskForce.
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