BOSTON – The Board of Early Education and Care on Wednesday unanimously approved Governor Healey’s proposed changes to reimbursement rates for early education and care providers who accept state childcare financial assistance, referred to as rates.
As a result, childcare providers across the state will receive increases to their daily per-child reimbursement rate as well as a one-time retroactive payment to account for the increased rates back to July 1.
The change is part of a broader effort to bring payment structures in line with the cost of providing care.
Massachusetts recently became the sixth state in the country to move forward with a cost-based methodology for setting rates for childcare financial assistance, and rates have increased by almost $90 million over the last two years.
“We have been focused on making our childcare financial assistance programs family-focused, accessible, dignified, and equitable,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. “These increases will continue our progress to have our rates better reflect the cost of care, with an intentional focus on equity by targeting increases towards closing the biggest gaps between our rates and the cost of care.”
Local leaders and lawmakers have cited Affordable Child Care as one of the biggest challenges for the region’s year-round economy.