 
Creation of the Board and Department of Early Education
and Care
Informed by the Campaign, its legislation, and its Guiding Principles, in July 2004 the Massachusetts Legislature unanimously passed, and Governor Mitt Romney signed, a law creating the first-in-the-nation Board and consolidated Department of Early Education and Care. The
Department became operational July 1, 2005. Among it statutory responsibilities
is implementing universal high-quality early education for all three- to five-year-olds and for developing and implementing a statewide professional development system for early educators, among other responsibilities.
Significant Bi-Partisan Legislative Support for "Early
Education for All"
The Campaign has filed two pieces of legislation that
embrace its goals and Guiding Principles:
 H.3776, An Act Relative to Early Education and Care, was filed at the beginning of the 2007-2008 legislative session, in January, with strong bi-partisan support. H.3776 was heard by the Education Committee in April 2007.
H.1175/S.303, An Act Relative to Early Education for All, was filed in December 2004 for consideration during the 2005-2006 legislative session. Led by lead sponsors Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry, and Representative Patricia Haddad, House Chair of the Joint Education Committee, 132 legislators co-sponsored the bill, representing 66% of the Legislature. In December 2005, the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education released a comprehensive early education bill, which contained the language in H.1175/S.303. This bill was H.4755, An Act Relative to Early Education and Care. In 2006, the House and Senate both unanimously passed An Act Relative to Early Education and Care, landmark legislation futher establishing the Massachusetts Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program. Former Governor Mitt Romney vetoed the bill after the last legislative session, leaving no time for an override.
H.1838/S.239 was
filed with significant bi-partisan legislative and organizational support
in December 2002 for consideration during the 2003-2004 legislative
session. Led by Senate Majority Leader Fred Berry and Representative
Peter Larkin,
Assistant Vice Chairman, House Ways and Means Committee, 111 legislators,
or 55% of the Legislature, co-sponsored the bill.
To guide the drafting of both pieces of legislation, EEA developed Guiding Principles, informed by a deliberate, exhaustive two-and-a-half year community input/solicitation process involving over 4,000 people through 100 personal interviews, 32 regional forums, and 60 presentations and trainings.
In addition, the Campaign convened a Policy Committee of leaders representing different perspectives from the early education and care field - a subcommittee of the larger Advisory Committee - to draft both pieces of legislation.
New Public Investments in Early Education and Care in the State Budget
For FY06 to the present, there has been $99.1 million in increased investments in early education and care in the state budget, including:
$7.1 million to pilot the Massachusetts Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program (MA UPK), created in the FY06 state budget. The Department of Early Education and Care awarded 131 MA UPK Classroom Quality grants to 187 pre-kindergarten classrooms, serving 3,002 children in 62 cities and towns.
$10 million increase for Full-Day Kindergarten Expansion Grants.
$4 million in funding for the Early Educators Scholarship Program, which was created in the FY06 state budget. Thus far, 1,273 scholarships have been awarded statewide for early educators who are pursuing higher education degrees.
An Effective Statewide Team of Advocates for Young Children and High-Quality Early Education
The Campaign has developed
a Campaign
Advisory Committee of leaders from business, early childhood,
labor, religion, healthcare, education, and philanthropy, committed
to achieving "early education for all;"
In addition, it
has created and expanded its diverse grassroots' team of volunteers across the state that advocate on behalf of young
children and families and high-quality early education.
Strong Public Support for "Early Education for All"
Universal high-quality early education has received significant editorial support in key papers across the state.
 View more about EEA and related policy activity in the news.
EEA is strongly supported by Massachusetts voters:
A 2006 poll by Opinion Dynamics Corporation found that 77% of voters support increasing the amount of state funding to improve and expand access to early childhood education. In a 2005 poll conducted by MassInsight, over
71% of respondents stated that guaranteeing early childhood education
through targeted state funding was the most important remedy toward improving
student achievement.
The Campaign has been endorsed by an impressive array of organizations from a variety of sectors, including business, labor, religion, health care, philanthropy, and education.
A Credible, Respected Source of Early Education and Care Research
EEA is
Massachusetts' leading early education and care research resource for
state policymakers, the media, and other opinion leaders through its
ability to package and disseminate relevant research.
The Campaign also initiates, or participates in, studies to inform policy development.
When possible, it plays a catalytic role, connecting philanthropic dollars
and other funding sources with research institutions to conduct this
work.
An example of this is "A Report On The Cost of Universal, High-Quality Early Education In Massachusetts," (October
2006) produced by EEA in conjuction with the Center for Labor Market
Studies at Northeastern University. This report, in response to a request
from legislative leadership, estimates the cost of full implementation
of the Massachusetts Universal Pre-Kindergarten Program.
Read the Full Report (PDF).
Read the Executive Summary (PDF).
A Privately-Funded 501(c)3 Organization
Committed to making "Early Education for All" a Reality
To conduct this work on behalf of young children, SFC was founded as
a cutting-edge 501(c)3 organization in 2001. It has grown its staff and expanded its financial base of support from philanthropic organizations and individuals.
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