136 local elected officials call for more early ed investment
We delivered a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 136 local elected officials that call for increased state investment in early education and care. Citing dropping levels of state funding, and the importance of ensuring all children start on a level playing field, the letter calls for additional funding to improve and expand early learning programs for children ages 0-5.
We pride ourselves on education in Massachusetts, which is why we need to do better when it comes to early education. We know these earlier years can help set students up for a lifetime of success and have extremely high return on investment. If we are serious about reducing the academic achievement gap, we need to make sure that every child starts kindergarten ready by making sure they can access high-quality early learning programs.
Along with the 60 other groups in the Put MA Kids First coalition, we are calling for increased investments in early learning programs, anchored in a quality workforce. One of the top issues that the field of early education and care has identified is a dramatic drop in the number of early education programs, and alarmingly high turnover of the early educator workforce. Child Care Aware has tracked a 25% drop in the number of early education programs in Massachusetts since 2011. Wellesley College researchers point to a high early educator turnover rate of 30%. It’s clear that the field is suffering and in crisis.
The sign on letter is below.
Strong Start for Massachusetts Children
Every child deserves a fair chance in life, and this begins with quality early education and care. Massachusetts should lead on education, but when it comes to early education, we’re falling behind. While states like Oklahoma guarantee a year of public preschool for every child, Massachusetts state spending on early education and care has declined by 50% since 2001.
Providing all children access to a high-quality early education is essential to creating a level playing field, so that no child starts kindergarten already behind. Participation in high-quality early learning programs helps children better realize their full potential, reduces the achievement gap and provides a strong foundation for future success.
I support increasing state investment in early education and care, in order to improve and expand programs for children ages 0-5 so that every child can access a high-quality early learning program.
Sincerely, the undersigned:
- Selectperson Janet K. Adachi, Acton
- Councilor Joseph McMilleon, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor James Kelcourse, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor Donna McClure, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor Paul Sickorez, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor Mary Louise Bartley, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor F. David Moavenzadeh, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor Robert Lavoie, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor Anne Ferguson, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- Councilor Jonathan Sherwood, Amesbury (Via town resolution)
- School Board Member Cindy Starks, Arlington
- Councilor Jessica Rapp Grassetti, Barnstable
- Councilor James H. Crocker, Barnstable
- Councilor Estelle Rand, Beverly
- Councilor Ayanna Pressley, Boston
- Selectperson Donald Ellis, Bourne
- Councilor Thomas Monahan, Brockton
- Councilor Shaynah Barnes, Brockton
- School Board Member Raymond Henningson, Brockton
- School Board Member Thomas Minichiello, Brockton
- School Board Member Helen Charlupski, Brookline
- School Board Member Rebecca Stone, Brookline
- Councilor Leland Cheung, Cambridge
- Councilor Craig Kelley, Cambridge
- Councilor Nadeem Mazen, Cambridge
- Councilor Marc McGovern, Cambridge
- Councilor E. Denise Simmons, Cambridge
- Councilor Timothy Toomey, Jr., Cambridge
- School Board Member Fran Cronin, Cambridge
- Councilor Craig A. Kelley, Cambridge
- Selectperson Pat Wojtas, Chelmsford
- Councilor Leo Robinson, Chelsea
- Councilor Luis Tejada, Chelsea
- Councilor Enio Lopez, Chelsea
- Councilor Yamir G. Rodriguez, Chelsea
- Councilor Adam Lamontagne, Chicopee
- School Board Member David Barsalou, Chicopee
- Selectperson Diane Kennedy, Cohasset
- Selectperson Daniel Bennett, Danvers
- Councilor Rosa DiFlorio, Everett
- Councilor Michael L. Miozza, Fall River
- School Board Member Paul Hart, Fall River
- School Board Member Joseph Martins, Fall River
- Councilor Paul Beauchemin, Fitchburg
- Selectperson Valerie Mulvey, Framingham
- Councilor Matthew C. J. Vance, Gardner
- Councilor Paul McGeary, Gloucester
- Councilor Steven LeBlanc, Gloucester
- Councilor William Fonvielle, Gloucester
- Councilor Sefatia Romeo Theken, Gloucester
- Councilor Robert Whynott, Gloucester
- Councilor James W. O’Hara Jr., Gloucester
- Councilor Norman Hirschfeld, Greenfield
- Councilor Andres X. Vargas, Haverhill
- Councilor Melinda Barrett, Haverhill
- Councilor Daniel Bresnahan, Holyoke
- Councilor Gordon Paul Alexander, Holyoke
- Councilor Peter Tallman, Holyoke
- Councilor Modesto Maldonado, Lawrence
- Councilor Hong Net, Lynn
- School Board Member John Ford, Lynn
- School Board Member Maria Carrasco, Lynn
- Councilor Daniel Cahill, Lynn
- Councilor Wayne Lozzi, Lynn
- Councilor Brian P. LaPierre, Lynn
- Councilor Debbie DeMaria, Malden
- Councilor Steven Ultrino, Malden
- Councillor Ryan O’Malley, Malden
- Councilor Peg Crowe, Malden (peronalized letter)
- Councilor Neal Anderson, Malden (peronalized letter)
- Councilor Michael Marks, Medford
- Alderman Michael P. Zwirko, Melrose
- Councilor Sean Fountain, Methuen
- Councilor James Atkinson, Methuen
- Councilor Thomas Ciulla, Methuen
- Councilor Lisa Yarid-Ferry, Methuen
- Board of Selectmen Chair Brian W. Murray, Milford
- Selectperson Edward Harrison, Monson
- Selectperson Gail Garrett, Mt. Washington
- Councilor Brian K. Gomes, New Bedford
- Councilor Kerry Winterson, New Bedford
- Councilor Allison Heartquist, Newburyport
- Councilor Ari Herzog, Newburyport
- Councilor Edward Cameron, Newburyport
- Councilor Jared Eigerman, Newburyport
- Councilor Charles Tontar, Newburyport
- Councilor Meghan Kinsey, Newburyport
- Councilor Emily Norton, Newton
- Selectperson Scott Bugbee, Norfolk
- Councilor Benjamin Lamb, North Adams
- Councilor Lisa Blackmer, North Adams
- Councilor Nancy Bullett, North Adams
- Councilor Joshua Moran, North Adams
- Councilor Alisa Klein, Northampton
- Councilor Gina-Louise Sciarra, Northampton
- Selectperson Ellen Allen, Norwell
- Councilor Mary Salzmann, Palmer
- Councilor Donald Blais, Jr., Palmer
- Councilor Lorinda Baker, Palmer
- Councilor James Moutsoulas, Peabody
- Councilor Thomas Walsh, Peabody
- Councilor Robert Driscoll, Peabody
- Councilor Lisa Tully, Pittsfield
- Councilor Jonathan Lothrop, Pittsfield
- Councilor Churchill Cotton, Pittsfield
- Councilor John Krol, Pittsfield
- Councilor Kathleen Amuso, Pittsfield
- Councilor Douglas S. Gutro, Quincy
- Councilor Paul J. Meoni, Randolph
- Councilor Ira Novoselsky, Revere
- Councilor Steven Morabito, Revere
- Selectperson Marilyn Wilson, Rowe (via Town Resolution)
- Selectperson Noel Abbott, Rowe (via Town Resolution)
- Selectperson Susan Gleason, Rowe (via Town Resolution)
- Councilor David Eppley, Salem
- Councilor Stephen G. Dibble, Salem
- Councilor William White, Jr., Somerville
- Councilor Matthew McLaughlin, Somerville
- Councilor Zaida Luna, Springfield
- Councilor Adam Gomez, Springfield
- Councilor Melvin Edwards, Springfield
- Selectperson John Callahan, Swampscott
- Councilor Gerald A. Croteau, Taunton
- Councilor Daniel Romard, Waltham
- Councilor Anthony Palomba, Watertown
- Councilor Susan Falkoff, Watertown
- Councilor Aaron Dushku, Watertown
- Councilor Michael Dattoli, Watertown
- Councilor Lisa Feltner, Watertown
- Selectperson Dennis Murphy, Wellfleet
- Selectperson Jerry Houk, Wellfleet
- Selectperson Paul Pilcher, Wellfleet
- Councilor Mary Ann Babinski, Westfield
- Selectperson Anne O’Connor, Williamstown
- Councilor Sarai Rivera, Worcester
- School Board Member John F. Monfredo, Worcester