136 local elected officials call for more early education 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
