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- Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey on Tuesday unveiled her proposal for expanded entry to early training and state-subsidized childcare.
- The proposal will increase eligibility brackets for state-funded childcare help, in addition to assured preschool entry within the Bay State’s 26 “Gateway Cities,” or former industrial hubs.
- “Far too many parents are being held back from returning to the workforce because of the daunting cost of child care,” Healey stated, claiming “providers are facing the difficult decision between continuing in the profession they love or leaving for a higher-paid career.”
Parents throughout Massachusetts, and significantly within the state’s former industrial “Gateway Cities,” would have higher entry to youngster care and early training beneath a plan unveiled Tuesday by Democratic Gov. Maura Healey.
The plan would assure that each 4-year-old within the 26 cities — which embrace Worcester, Springfield, New Bedford, Taunton and Chelsea — has the prospect, at low or no value, to enroll their youngster in a high-quality preschool program, Healey stated. The program at present exists in 12 Gateway Cities. Healey hopes to increase this system to the remaining 14.
Healey’s proposal would additionally assist a further 4,000 low-and moderate-income households afford youngster care by rising eligibility for Child Fare Financial Assistance — the state’s youngster care monetary help packages to assist households pay for youngster care and out-of-school time packages.
MASSACHUSETTS GOV. HEALEY ANNOUNCES $375M IN BUDGET CUTS AMID ANTICIPATED SHORTFALL
Healey’s plan additionally would enhance eligibility from households at present making 50% of the state median revenue — or lower than $49,467 yearly for a household of two and $61,106 for a household of three — so as to add in these making as much as 85% of the state median revenue, or $84,094 for a household of two and $103,880 for a household of three.
Democratic Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is seen throughout inauguration ceremonies on the Statehouse in Boston, Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe through AP, Pool, File)
“Far too many parents are being held back from returning to the workforce because of the daunting 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,” stated Healey.
She plans to stipulate the initiative throughout her 2024 State of the Commonwealth deal with on Wednesday.
Healey additionally plans to announce she is going to proceed the state’s Commonwealth Cares for Children grants, which additionally assist pay for packages aimed toward enhancing high quality and hiring extra employees to create extra lecture rooms the place households can enroll their youngsters in youngster care.
Healey will even use her deal with to announce she additionally plans to signal an government order recognizing what she stated is the “essential role child care plays in driving the state’s economy and competitiveness forward.”
The governor stated the manager order will convey collectively groups with expertise in housing, youngster care, training, financial improvement, well being care and human providers with members of the enterprise neighborhood to develop methods to increase entry, construct new youngster care services and cut back prices for households.
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Healey made the announcement Tuesday throughout a cease in Malden, one of many state’s Gateway Cities.
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