Press Release  Healey-Driscoll Administration Applauds Biden-Harris Administration’s Final Head Start Rule

Boston — Healey-Driscoll Administration Thanks Federal Delegation for Championing Increased Head Start Funding, Urges Congress to Follow Suit

The Healey-Driscoll administration today applauds the Biden-Harris administration’s final Head Start rule Supporting the Head Start Workforce and Consistent Quality Programming. With sufficient federal funding to implement, these changes will expand access to Head Start in Massachusetts, improving affordability for low-income families and expanding services that meet the needs of the whole family. The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) had previously submitted formal public comment in support of the proposed rule.

“One of the top priorities of our administration is making early education and care more affordable and accessible. That is why my first two budgets make a historic investment in child care, but there is still work to be done and it is going to take efforts at the federal, state, and local levels,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration and our federal delegation for their leadership on increasing federal child care and Head Start funding and urge Congress to provide sufficient funds to ensure programs can implement these welcome changes.”

“We support the Biden-Harris administration’s Head Start changes that align with our efforts to ensure equitable, modern access to affordable child care for our hard-working families, as well expand access mental health supports for our youngest kids and boost the early education workforce. I thank their administration and our federal delegation for championing increased child care funding that will be essential for programs to increase educator compensation and expand access and affordability,” said Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll.

“Early education, including through our Head Start programs, is foundational to closing the opportunity gap in Massachusetts – bringing economic equity and mobility to families, while we bring educational opportunities to their children,” said Secretary of Education Dr. Patrick Tutwiler. “I appreciate the Biden-Harris Administrations’ enhancement to Head Start and am proud that many of these changes aligns with the good ongoing work in Massachusetts.” 

“I am grateful for our partnership with the federal government and the strong alignment with the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to build a more accessible, modern, affordable, and equitable child care system that includes the critical role of our Head Start programs,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw. With sufficient funding available, these changes will have a meaningful impact on Head Start programs in our state, the families and children they serve, and our entire child care system.”

“The Healey-Driscoll administration has been working to address the significant Head Start and early education workforce crisis in Massachusetts through consistent funding for programs and educators. However, the crisis remains and wages for educators remain too low compared to their other educator peers. The Massachusetts Head Start Association is grateful for this work in Massachusetts and applauds the final rule’s recognition of the need for significantly higher wages, expanded benefits, and greater supports for the current and future Head Start workforce and the effort to bring teacher salaries to parity with elementary peers. These changes must come hand in hand with increased federal funding to ensure that programs make important progress toward parity without a reduction in access for our most vulnerable families in Massachusetts,” said Michelle Haimowitz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association.

Many Head Start programs in the state participate in Massachusetts’ Child Care Financial Assistance programs, so funding is blended, and children are served within the same program or classroom. As such, changes made to Head Start directly and indirectly impact Massachusetts child care programs and the families and children they serve. Importantly, the rule will allow programs to reduce a family’s total income by the amount spent on housing above 30% of total income when determining Head Start eligibility. This will help families not have to choose between paying for rent and paying for child care. The regulation changes align with the Commonwealth’s efforts to expand equitable access to quality and affordable child care for families in the communities in which they live, learn, and work, as well as modernize communications with families and expand mental health supports.

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