Massachusetts families depend on early care & education (ECE) to promote healthy child development and so parents can go to work knowing their children are safe. However, our ECE sector faces many systemic challenges. Care is often unaffordable and teachers are chronically underpaid. These concerns have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. High-quality ECE—including strong …
Early Care and Education is Critical for Families Across the Commonwealth, while adults work to provide for their families, they depend on reliable and nurturing learning environments for their children. For those parents with young children under 5, being able to work often depends on the early care and education (ECE) system and the thousands …
This page presents a preview excerpt that explains the problem in public higher education. Click here to view the full report.
A well-funded public higher education system has the power to open up countless opportunities for low-income students and families of all races and backgrounds. For many students and families of color, higher education is a necessary element in a journey toward upward economic mobility and stability. Those with completed post-secondary education are more likely to …
Bruised Budgets: A Higher Education Funding History Lesson For An Antiracist Future Read More »
More than $3.3 billion in CARES Act funding comes to our Massachusetts communities based on population estimates from the census. Learn how the Commonwealth can get its fair share of power and money through a complete, accurate 2020 Census count in our latest report.
As a result of the pandemic, municipalities face increased spending needs and declining revenues. Many have the ability to raise property taxes, though others are constrained by Proposition 2 1/2. Moreover, property taxes tend to fall hardest on those with lower incomes. Without sufficient municipal aid, cities and towns may be forced to make public cuts which would slow the economic recovery.
As the Commonwealth’s early education and care sector reopens, many providers are at risk of closing permanently unless there is a significant new source of funding. Learn more about COVID-19’s impact on early education in our latest report, and what it will take to safely reopen.
Read the full statement by Marie-Frances Rivera, president of the Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center (MassBudget), in response to the Governor’s Reopening Massachusetts plan amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Introduction Quality early education and care (EEC) is not only critical for helping young children to learn and grow, it’s also vital to our economy by providing support for working parents. The current public health and economic crisis caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is dramatically impacting the provision of early education and care for …
A college degree is an important first step for many to pursue their dreams. Unfortunately, this dream is increasingly out of reach for many students from low-income backgrounds, including students of color and non-traditional students.