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Massachusetts

Last Updated: August 11, 2023

Working families in Massachusetts need accessible, affordable, quality child care and early learning opportunities for their children. 

Currently, federal and state early learning programs reach thousands of young children and their families in Massachusetts. But too many working families in Massachusetts are missing out. As a direct result of child care issues, the Massachusetts economy loses millions of dollars each year in the form of lost earnings, productivity, and revenue. 

Facts about Massachusetts
1

There are 429k children ages 5 and under in Massachusetts

2

72% of these children have all available parents in the workforce

3

The typical annual cost of child care in Massachusetts is around $18,000

4

The Child Care and Development Block Grant only reaches 13% of eligible families. This federal program helps low-income parents afford child care

5

Massachusetts’ economy loses $3.3B annually due to child care challenges

Massachusetts: In The Headlines

Massachusetts child care centers struggling with a shortage of workers. Why it’s happening

BU News Service | November 13, 2023

Amid a nationwide child care crisis, Massachusetts struggles to retain and bring in early educators due to the state’s high living costs and the industry’s low wage and benefits.

Massachusetts has the nation’s highest child-care costs. If you can find a spot, that is.

The Boston Globe | January 22, 2024

High-quality child care can set a child up for success in school and life. It’s vital for parents.

Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states for child care, report says

CBS News | January 23, 2024

Massachusetts is one of the most expensive states in the country when it comes to child care.

Massachusetts Resources & News

Resource

New BPC Report: A Look into Child Care Workforce Licensing Requirements

February 22, 2024

Every day, early childhood educators play a crucial role in nurturing and shaping the minds of our youngest learners. Yet, the qualifications required for this essential workforce vary drastically across …

Resource

FFYF Analysis of 2024 State of the State Addresses

February 14, 2024

Analysis of 2024 State of the State addresses given by Governors across the country found that child care, early learning, and early childhood received substantial attention across state and party …

Resource

Total Federal TANF & State MOE Expenditures for Child Care & Early Learning in FY2022

February 8, 2024

The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provides federal grants to states to design and operate programs that help low-income families achieve self-sufficiency. TANF plays a crucial role in …

Resource

How States Are Using PDG B-5 Grants to Support Career Pathways

December 15, 2023

The BUILD Initiative, ZERO TO THREE, and Start Early, recently released a new brief highlighting the strategies states are using to improve career pathways in their Preschool Development Grant Birth …

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New GAO Report Highlights IDEA Early Intervention Programs

October 27, 2023

The report identified various challenges, including varying eligibility criteria, staffing shortages, and limited data collection, and concluded with several recommendations for Congress. The first few years of life are critical …

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FFYF’S 2023 State Fact Sheets

July 31, 2023

Our new analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that child care and early learning programs have tremendous impacts on young children, their families, and the economy at …

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New 50 State Analysis Shows Impact of Federal Child Care Program 

May 11, 2023

New analysis of all 50 states and the District of Columbia from First Five Years Fund (FFYF) shows that while the nation’s main federal child care program – the Child …

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How CCDBG Benefits Families in Your State

May 9, 2023

The Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) is the primary federal grant program that provides child care assistance to low-income working families with children under age 13. The majority …

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FFYF’s 2022 Child Care & Early Learning State Fact Sheets

August 2, 2022

Our analysis of all 50 states and Washington, D.C. shows that the existing patchwork of federal and state early learning and care programs only reaches a fraction of income-eligible families. Federal …

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Massachusetts — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 29, 2022

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Learn About the Positive Impact of MIECHV in Your State

June 22, 2022

The Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) program provides federal funds to states, territories, and tribal entities for voluntary, evidence-based home visiting services. This program was reauthorized in …

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2021 State Fact Sheets: Examining the Impact and Unmet Need of Federal & State ECE Funding

August 3, 2021

FFYF has released the latest iteration of its annual state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made …

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Massachusetts — Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2021

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

FFYF Releases State Fact Sheets, Highlighting Unique Local Landscapes

September 16, 2020

This summer, FFYF released updated state fact sheets, which draw on numerous data sources to offer details about the early childhood opportunities in each state made possible through federal and state …

Resource

Congresswoman Katherine Clark introduces bill to revitalize child care industry

June 25, 2020

Last week, Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-MA) introduced the ‘Child Care is Infrastructure Act’ to reinvigorate the child care industry which has been devastated by the economic downturn caused by the …

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Massachusetts: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2020

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

Resource

Updated Fact Sheets Show Opportunities for States

September 16, 2019

On Monday, the Center for American Progress (CAP) released their 2019 Early Learning Fact Sheets which provide an overview of early learning in each state.  As in previous years, CAP’s …

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See How All 50 States Use CCDBG Funding to Support Working Families Access Quality Child Care

June 14, 2019

Yesterday, our friends at Child Care Aware of America released a series of state fact sheets on the status of funding through the Child Care and Development Block Grant (CCDBG) …

Resource

Massachusetts: Federal Support for Early Learning & Care Opportunities

June 1, 2019

High-quality early childhood education is proven to dramatically improve a child’s opportunities for a better future—particularly children from low-income families—while offering parents improved job stability and overall economic security. To …

News

46 States and Territories to Receive Preschool Development Grants

January 4, 2019

Big news! 46 states and territories have been awarded funding through the Preschool Development Grant Birth through Five (PDG B-5), a $250 million competitive federal grant designed to improve states’ existing early …

Resource

Harvard-Led Program Aims to Prevent Achievement Gap through Work with At-Risk Infants & Toddlers, Moms

September 27, 2018

NPR affiliate WBUR in Boston reports: Researchers know there’s an achievement gap that exists at 18 months. That’s before any formal learning has taken place. An organization in Boston is …

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