Representative Ken Gordon (D-Bedford) and Senator Cindy F. Friedman (D-Arlington) are advocating for legislation they filed which would call for more affordable, accessible and high-quality early education and childcare for families in the Commonwealth. Their bills, H.470 and S.288, which are identical, are part of an ongoing effort to make childcare more affordable and available to all parents in the state.
In his testimony during a recent public hearing before the Joint Committee on Education, Gordon said, “The average cost of quality early childcare and education, involving licensed and trained employees, is thousands of dollars per month in Massachusetts,” said Gordon. “That leaves childcare and pre-school out of reach for many families, and it creates a barrier for parents to return to work. We have to address this problem by providing better care, at more affordable rates, so parents, especially women, can return to the workforce when they are ready.”