return to EEA in the News

Childcare Investments

Boston Globe Editorial, Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Ann Reale, commissioner of the state's Department of Early Education and Care, has to spend $13.8 million, a budget surplus caused by cautious projections.

Spending this money is like trying to cover a conference table with a handkerchief. There isn't enough to do the job. And time is limited. Funds must be used by June 30, the end of the fiscal year.

Reale's plan is to spread the money around, investing in three core principles: quality, access, and affordability.

One strong area of her plan is $1 million to train teachers to better manage children's bad behavior. This could be a small gold mine. Troubled children could get fast, effective help to build the emotional skills they need to thrive both in preschool programs and later in school, potentially saving state money and family heartache.
RELATED STORY: Initiative opens online world to Hub child-care givers

Reale is also wise to invest in infrastructure. Some $2.6 million would fund a rate increase for bus drivers who transport children, muting the sting of stagnant rates and high gas prices. Another $7.5 million would buy new technology. Administrative computers and Internet access aren't exciting, but they are essential to building a healthy system that can easily manage payroll, capacity reports, and other paperwork.

Reale's plan to invest $1 million in such enrichment programs as art and music is appealing. But for now it would make more sense to strengthen core services.

The heavy financial lifting must be done inside the State House. One pressing need is for more subsidized child-care spots. As of June, there were 14,000 names on a waiting list. Very poor families can get subsidies, including welfare recipients who are guaranteed a child-care spot as they move into work. But other working families struggle, waiting for spots to open or paying too much of their income on child care.

Early-education advocates are pressing the legislators to add an extra $47 million to next year's budget, a step forward that would invest in teacher salaries and training, Head Start, transportation, and the referral system that helps parents choose the best settings for their children.

If they are put in place, these pieces could, over time, grow into what the state needs: an early-education and care system of the highest quality that's available to all of the state's children regardless of income.

return to top of page