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Participation in early education gives children a significant advantage in later education and life.  High-quality early childhood education reduces the likelihood that children will be enrolled in special education classes, increases high school graduation rates, and improves performance on school achievement tests.  It also lessens the childcare burden on families, a particular boon to working lower- and middle-class families.  

However, according to a 2006 report by the Early Education for All Campaign, the Commonwealth’s accredited existing preschool programs are capable of handling only 22% of all preschool-aged children.  This problem is beginning to be addressed – the Massachusetts Legislature approved funding for a Universal Pre-Kindergarten Pilot Program in Fiscal Year 2007 and increased it in FY ’08.  Thus far, the program has provided grants to 131 programs around the state enabling them to take a variety of steps to enhance their provision of early childhood education.  

This state program must be expanded to provide funding to all elementary schools, community centers, and child care providers around the state to ensure not only that they are able to provide pre-kindergarten, but that it is of the highest quality.  

State grants can be used to hire more qualified teachers or to expand the benefits offered to current teachers, increase the number of children the programs are equipped to handle, provide teachers and students with additional technology or resources, or in other ways enable schools to meet their unique early childhood education challenges as they see fit.  Because there is a shortage of qualified early childhood educators, state funding should be set aside to create a scholarship fund and subsidize other professional development.  As the program is initially being expanded, a great deal of flexibility would be necessary to enable schools to experiment and determine what worked best for them.

5)    Expand the network of high quality early education centers
A statewide expansion of early education centers would allow all children access to achieve high grades in school and to be well adjusted socially before entering first grade. Children will develop the necessary skills at an early age to succeed and school and foster a sense of being connected to schools.  In addition to the benefit students would receive, full-time kindergarten programs would alleviate the burden of parents having to choose to forgo returning to the workforce due to the cost of daycare. 

5.a    The Department of Early Education and Care should develop a system of assessing the performance of early childhood education providers

6)    Provide professional development opportunities for early childhood caregivers
There are many factors that go into making an effective early childhood education program.  Of these, teachers’ education levels has proven to be a strong and consistent factor in determining program quality, as has specialized training in the field of early childhood education.  Another critical factor is staff turnover, which can be as high as 29% a year among the Commonwealth’s early education programs. 

6.a    The Department of Early Education and Care should expand grant and loan programs designed to assist early childhood educators in meeting their educational goals

7)    Improve nutrition and physical activity opportunities in regulated child-care sites
Evidence is mounting that sound nutrition and physical activity early in life are vital to establishing healthy habits and health later in life.  In its 2005 report, “The Health of Massachusetts: A Coordinated Response to Overweight and Obesity,” The MA Partnership for Healthy Weight recommends several actions.

7.a    The Department of Education should ensure that childcare providers on how to implement the physical activity component of the state child care regulations

7.b    The Department of Education should provide childcare providers with educational materials that include evidence based, age appropriate information and resources and strategies to create healthy environments for children

7.c    The Department of Education and Department of Public Health should partner with local academic institutions to track improvements in nutrition and physical activity opportunities at childcare centers