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

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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

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3000-2000

3000-2050

3000-3060

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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

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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

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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

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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”