All The Early Childhood Education Line Items in The Massachusetts Budget For Fiscal Year 2020
The Massachusetts legislature sent the budget for 2020 to the governor. You can look at the whole thing here: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/191/H4000.pdf Below I have copied and pasted all the items related to early childhood education in the budget.
“EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF EDUCATION. Department of Early Education and Care.
3000-1000
For the administration of the department of early education and care; provided, that the department shall report on the first business day of each month to the joint committee on education, the joint committee on children, families and persons with disabilities, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the secretary of administration and finance on the unduplicated number of children on waiting lists for state- subsidized early education and care programs and services, including supportive child care services; provided further, that notwithstanding chapter 66A of the General Laws, the department of early education and care, the child care resource and referral agencies, the department of elementary and secondary education, the department of transitional assistance, the department of children and families, the department of housing and community development, the Children’s Trust Fund, the disabled persons protection commission, the district attorneys’ offices and the department of public health, specifically the early intervention program, may share with each other personal data regarding the parents and children who receive services provided under early education and care programs administered by the commonwealth for waitlist management, program implementation and evaluation, reporting and policy development purposes; provided further, that the department shall issue monthly reports detailing the number and average cost of voucher and contracted slots funded by the department for items 3000-3060 and 3000-4060 delineated by age category; provided further, that said reports shall include the number of recipients subject to subsection (f) of section
68
Conference Committee Report
3000-1020
110 of chapter 5 of the acts of 1995; provided further, that the
department of early education and care shall provide the caseload
forecasting office with enrollment data and any other information
pertinent to caseload forecasting that is requested by the office on a
monthly basis; provided further, that the information shall be provided in
a manner that meets all applicable federal and state privacy and security
requirements; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be
expended for the East Boston Social Centers, Inc in order to relocate
children in current early education programs who have been displaced
due to public housing redevelopment; provided further, that not less than
$250,000 shall be expended for improvements to the Ellis Memorial
Early Education Center in Boston; provided further, that not less than
$100,000 shall be expended for the young parents program at More
Than Words, Inc.; provided further, that not less than $50,000 shall be
expended for the Community Action Agency of Somerville, Inc. for
unanticipated costs not covered by federal grants; provided further, that
not less than $25,000 shall be expended for East End House in the city
of Cambridge to support its childcare program; provided further, that not
less than $50,000 shall be expended for the Springfield Day Nursery
Corporation in the city of Springfield; and provided further, that not less
than $150,000 shall be expended for Jumpstart for Young Children, Inc.
to provide support to evidence-based early childhood education
programs that promote language, literacy and social emotional skill
development for preschool children from under-served communities ................ $6,847,055
For early education and care quality supports to improve and sustain
educational quality among providers of early education and care and to
assist early educators and providers in attaining higher levels of
proficiency, skill and quality; provided, that supports funded through this
item shall include, but not be limited to, program quality improvements
related to meeting the Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement
System standards; provided further, that costs related to department
personnel who support quality improvement may be funded from this
item, including the department's licensing staff and other personnel who
ensure compliance with state and federal requirements for inspections,
monitoring and training; provided further, that funds from this item may
support the Massachusetts universal prekindergarten program and
inclusive learning environments grants; provided further, that supports
funded through this item may include, but not be limited to: (i)
development and purchase of curriculum; (ii) development and
implementation of early childhood assessment systems; (iii) incentives
for programs to recruit, develop and retain highly qualified educators; (iv)
activities that encourage providers to obtain associate and bachelor
degrees; (v) payment of fees; (vi) direct assistance to programs seeking
accreditation by agencies approved by the board of early education and
care; and (vii) professional development courses; provided further, that
any payment made under any such grant to a school district shall be
deposited with the treasurer of such city, town or regional school district
and held as a separate account and, notwithstanding any general or
special law to the contrary, shall be expended by the school committee
of such city, town or regional school district without municipal
appropriation; and provided further, that not less than $300,000 shall be
expended on transitional costs and other one-time quality improvements
at Nurtury, Inc.................................................................................................... $39,443,988
69
3000-2000
3000-2050
3000-3060
70
Fiscal Year 2020 Committee Report
3000-1042
For a reimbursement rate increase for center-based subsidized early
education and care for salaries, benefits and stipends for professional
development of early educators; provided, that funds appropriated in this
item shall be used to increase such reimbursement rate by an
appropriate percentage for all such providers; provided further, that funds
shall be expended for increasing the daily add-on rate for comprehensive
early education services for children with active cases at the department
of children and families; provided further, that the commissioner of early
education and care may transfer funds from this item to items 3000-3060
and 3000-4060, as necessary, under an allocation plan which shall detail
by object class the distribution of the funds to be transferred; and
provided further, that the commissioner shall report to the house and
senate committees on ways and means on any such transfers ....................... $20,000,000
For the regional administration and coordination of services provided by
child care resource and referral agencies; provided, that such agencies
shall be funded at not less than the amount that was funded to them in
fiscal year 2019; and provided further, that not less than $1,000,000 shall
be expended to reduce the child care resource and referral agencies
subsidy management caseload ratios based on national ratio standards ........ $10,086,311
For the administration of the Children’s Trust Fund; provided, that the
department shall not exercise any supervision or control with respect to
the board of the trust fund; provided further, that not less than $500,000
shall be expended for a Stop Abuse For Every (SAFE) Child community
pilot program to provide, coordinate and expand core services for
families; provided further, that core services shall include, but not be
limited to, home visiting, social and behavioral health services,
substance abuse treatment and parental resiliency programs; provided
further, that the pilot program shall support the coordination of services
and referrals using existing resources; and provided further, that not later
than December 31, 2019, the Children’s Trust Fund shall report to the
house and senate committees on ways and means and the joint
committee on children, families and persons with disabilities on the
progress of the pilot program and the mobilization of services at the
family centers ...................................................................................................... $1,713,721
For early education and care services for children with active cases at the department of children and families and for families currently involved with, or transitioning from, transitional aid to families with dependent children; provided, that the department of early education and care, in collaboration with the department of children and families, shall maintain a centralized list detailing the number of children eligible for services under this item, the number of supportive slots filled and the number of supportive slots available; provided further, that for children with active cases at the department of children and families, funds may be used to provide services during a transition period of at least 12 months upon the closure of the family’s case with the department of children and families; provided further, that in the case of families involved with transitional aid to families with dependent children, early education and care shall be available to: (i) recipients of transitional aid to families with dependent children benefits; (ii) former participants who are working for up to 1 year after termination of their benefits; (iii) participants who are working for up to 1 year after the transitional period; and (iv) parents who are under 18 years of age who are currently enrolled in a job training program and who would qualify for benefits under chapter 118 of the General Laws
Conference Committee Report
3000-4060
but for the consideration of the grandparents’ income; provided further,
that all teens eligible for year-round, full-time early education and care
services shall be participating in school, education, work and training-
related activities or a combination thereof for at least the minimum
number of hours required by regulations; provided further, that recipients
of transitional aid to families with dependent children shall not be
charged fees for care provided under this item; provided further, that
early education and care services for families involved with transitional
aid to families with dependent children funded from this item shall be
distributed geographically in a manner that provides fair and adequate
access to early education and care for all eligible individuals; provided
further, that informal early education and care benefits for families
involved with transitional aid to families with dependent children may be
funded from this item; provided further, that not more than $2 per child
per hour shall be paid for these services; provided further, that the
commissioner of early education and care may transfer funds to this item
from item 3000-4060, as necessary, under an allocation plan, which shall
detail by object class the distribution of the funds to be transferred and
which the commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees
on ways and means not less than 30 days before the transfer; provided
further, that if the department determines that available appropriations for
this program will be insufficient to meet projected expenses, the
commissioner shall file with the house and senate committees on ways
and means and the secretary of administration and finance a report
detailing the amount of appropriation needed to address such deficiency;
provided further, that reimbursements for services rendered in prior fiscal
years may be expended from this item; provided further, that the
department shall recoup funds owed related to payments made by the
department in prior fiscal years by reducing payments for services
related to this item in fiscal year 2020; and provided further, that all
children eligible for services under this item shall receive such services ....... $275,987,080
For income-eligible early education and care programs; provided, that teen parents and homeless families identified as likely to become eligible for transitional aid to families with dependent children may be paid from this item; provided further, that informal early education and care benefits for families meeting income-eligibility criteria may be funded from this item; provided further, that not more than $2 per child per hour shall be paid for these services; provided further, that early education and care services funded under this item shall be distributed geographically in a manner that provides fair and adequate access to early education and care for all eligible individuals; provided further, that not more than 3 per cent of the funds appropriated in this item may be transferred in fiscal year 2020 as set forth in a plan submitted by the department; provided further, that said plan shall be filed with the joint committee on education, the house and senate committees on ways and means and the secretary of administration and finance; provided further, that reimbursements for services rendered in prior fiscal years may be expended from this item; provided further, that the department shall recoup funds owed related to payments made by the department in prior fiscal years by reducing payments for services related to this item rendered in fiscal year 2020; and provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any payment made under any such grant with a school district shall be deposited with the treasurer of the city, town or regional school district and held as a separate account and shall be expended by
71
3000-5000 3000-6025
the school committee of the city, town or regional school district without
municipal appropriation...................................................................................$276,480,376
For grants to head start programs; provided, that funds from this item
may be expended on early head start programs .............................................. $12,000,000
For grants in fiscal year 2020 to support implementation activities in
cities, towns, regional school districts or educational collaboratives to
expand pre-kindergarten or preschool opportunities on a voluntary basis
to children who will be eligible for kindergarten by September 2021;
provided, that implementation grants may be awarded through a
competitive process established by the department of early education
and care utilizing the Massachusetts Preschool Expansion Grant public-
private partnership model; provided further, that preference shall be
given in awarding implementation grants to districts serving high
percentages of high-needs students; provided further, that additional
preference shall be given in awarding implementation grants to districts
that have completed strategic planning efforts that support expanding
access to high-quality preschool through the Commonwealth Preschool
Partnership Initiative; provided further, that not later than March 16,
2020, the department shall submit a report to the joint committee on
education and the house and senate committees on ways and means on
the status of implementation activities which shall include, but not be
limited to, the: (i) recipients of grant funding; (ii) number of children
served by recipients; (iii) size of awarded grants by recipient; and (iv)
recipients’ workforce development efforts; provided further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, funds
distributed from this item shall be deposited with the treasurer of the city,
town, regional school district or educational collaborative and held in a
separate account and shall be expended by the school committee of the
city, town, regional school district or educational collaborative without
further appropriation; and provided further, that up to $2,500,000
appropriated for this item in fiscal year 2019 shall not revert but shall be
made available for the purposes of this item in fiscal year 2020 ........................ $5,000,000
For early childhood mental health consultation services in early
education and care programs in the commonwealth; provided, that
preference shall be given to those services designed to limit the number
of expulsions and suspensions from the programs and to early education
and care programs serving high percentages of high-needs students;
and provided further, that eligible recipients for such grants shall include
municipal school districts, regional school districts, educational
collaboratives, head start programs, licensed childcare providers, child
care resource and referral centers and other qualified entities .......................... $2,500,000
For statewide neonatal and postnatal home parenting education and home visiting programs for at-risk newborns to be administered by the Children’s Trust Fund; provided, that such services shall be made available statewide to parents under 21 years of age; provided further, that the department of early education and care shall collaborate with the Children's Trust Fund, when appropriate, to coordinate services provided through this item with services provided through item 3000-7050 to ensure that parents receiving services through this item are aware of all opportunities available to them and their children through the department; provided further, that the Children’s Trust Fund shall oversee the maintenance of a participant data system; and provided
3000-6075
3000-7000
72
Fiscal Year 2020 Committee Report
Conference Committee Report
3000-7040
further, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary,
priority for such services shall be given to low-income parents........................ $15,438,152
For the department of early education and care, which may expend not
more than $161,893 for contingency contracts related to pursuing federal
reimbursement or avoiding costs in its capacity as the single state
agency under Title IV-E of the Social Security Act; provided, that notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, these
contingency contracts shall not exceed 3 years except with prior review
and approval by the executive office for administration and finance; and
provided further, that for the purpose of accommodating timing
discrepancies between the receipt of retained revenues and related
expenditures, the department may incur expenses and the comptroller
may certify for payment amounts not to exceed the lower of this
authorization or the most recent revenue estimate as reported in the
state accounting system ........................................................................................ $161,893
For the coordinated family and community engagement grant program,
which shall establish a statewide network of supports for early education;
provided, that the department of early education and care shall distribute
grants not later than August 30, 2019 in order to allow a full year of
service for families involved in these programs; provided further, that the
department shall, to the maximum extent feasible, coordinate services
provided through this item with services provided through item 3000-
7000 in order to ensure that parents receiving services through this item
are aware of all opportunities available to them and their children through
the department; provided further, that eligible recipients for suchgrants
shall include, but not be limited to: (i) the Massachusetts Family
Networks program; (ii) municipal school districts; (iii) regional school
districts; (iv) educational collaboratives; (v) the home-based, school
readiness and family support program known as the parent-child home
program; (vi) head start programs; (vii) other school readiness and family
support programs; (viii) licensed child care providers; and (ix) child care
resource and referral centers; provided further, that supports funded
through this item shall be in alignment with the quality requirements of
the Massachusetts universal pre-kindergarten program and the
Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement System; provided
further, that the department shall take steps to streamline activities and
programs funded through this item; provided further, that the department
may expend funds from this item on grants for supplemental services for
children with individualized education plans; and provided further, that
not less than $300,000 more than fiscal year 2019 shall be expended on
the parent-child home program.........................................................................$14,042,000
For the Neighborhood Villages pilot program to provide high-quality, economically integrated, infant and toddler classrooms that demonstrate best practices for supporting children, families and the early childhood workforce and establish an infrastructure to facilitate wraparound health and wellness programming for children and families; provided, that funds shall be used to support high-quality early education and care classroom instruction and workforce development training; provided further, that funds shall be used to allow for the enhancement, coordination and alignment of early learning programs with community-based health providers and those resources that impact outcomes across health and early learning; and provided further, that the pilot program shall serve to
3000-7050
3000-7055
73
3000-7066
identify resources and promising practices that inform efforts to support school-readiness and ensure the healthy development and well-being of
children and families ........................................................................................... $1,000,000
For professional development and higher education opportunities and
supports for early educators to be coordinated through the department in
conjunction with the Massachusetts community colleges; provided, that
programming shall focus on the statewide recruitment and training needs
specific to the early education and care workforce, encourage
opportunities for career advancement and retention, and incorporate
early education and care stakeholder, employer and industry
collaboration; and provided further, that professional development
opportunities shall be consistent with the core competencies and career
pathways established by the department, and in accordance with the recommendations of the Early Education and Care Workforce Council,
prior appropriation continued .............................................................................. $5,000,000
Gaming Economic Development Fund ....................100%
For Reach Out and Read, Inc.; provided, that the funds distributed
through Reach Out and Read, Inc. shall be contingent upon a match of
not less than $1 in private or corporate contributions for every $1 in state
grant funding ....................................................................................................... $1,000,00”
