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Strategies for Children leads the way toward meaningful change in early childhood systems across Massachusetts by connecting people to people, people to policy, and people to power | Learn more www.strategiesforchildren.org
Last night, SFC's Advocacy Network for Early Childhood Cohort 5 met for their monthly meeting on Zoom and welcomed Massachusetts Senator Robyn Kennedy, 1st Worcester, and legislative aide Olivia Mathot. We're so thankful to Senator Kennedy for her leadership and support of our emerging advocates!
Something special is coming to SFC's Instagram @strategies4children - The Advocacy Network for Early Childhood is taking over! Follow along on Friday, March 13 to experience a day in the life of Alexus Garcia, member of the Advocacy Network’s Cohort 5 and Teacher at The Goddard School of Charlestown
Today's Blog:
“One reason I feel that we have so many mental health problems is because children aren’t allowed to be children anymore,” Donna Servideo says. “They don’t have the play-based skills they need to succeed in life. So right now, I’m advocating for the right to play.”
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#The930Callenespañol Miércoles, 18 de Marzo a las 6:30 PM en Zoom
¿Cómo unirse a estas llamadas? Visite www.strategiesforchildren.org/930call, haga clic en el botón naranja de registro y complete el formulario. Recibirá un correo electrónico con el enlace de Zoom.
Join us today and all week on #The9:30Call
How to join these calls? Visit www.strategiesforchildren.org/930call, click the orange registration button, and complete the form. You will receive an email with the Zoom link. We use the same Zoom link for all 9:30 calls.
“We need to think about the funding across the board. How do we make all those [providers] accessible and equally funded?”
— Codcast: “How ‘universal’ is universal pre-K?,” by CommonWealth Beacon staff, March 1, 2026
“What we have heard back from districts is, right now that they don’t have enough space to serve all the children. This has been consistent over the past 25 years.”
“There are [also] geographical differences. In Western Mass, there might be a public school district, more family child providers, and not as many centers. In some of our larger cities, we have more centers. So that’s why I think you have to look at the local level.”
"When you think about schools, you know where a school building is, there might be three family child care providers on your way to that [school], but you just you don’t see them.”
Amy O’Leary: “I think part of that is understanding supply and demand. We know that often it’s hard to see the early education and care community… where are the providers?
Friday quote:
Host Hallie Claflin: “So how can we make sense of how and why [preschool expansion] varies so much from city to city and district to district?”
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A look back at 2025! We're immensely grateful for your continued support, trust and partnership ... and we're excited to celebrate 25 years of Strategies for Children in 2026!
Now it’s time for the state to strengthen its investment in this effective program.
Today's blog:
In Massachusetts, the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI) has successfully helped communities like Salem, North Adams, Somerville, and Sandwich plan for and implement more high-quality preschool programs.
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Today's blog:
Contact your legislators TODAY to advocate for important early education and care funding increases.
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Únete a nosotros *ESTA NOCHE* Miércoles, 4 de Marzo a las 6:30 PM
¿Cómo unirse a estas llamadas? Visite www.strategiesforchildren.org/930call, haga clic en el botón naranja de registro y complete el formulario. Recibirá un correo electrónico con el enlace de Zoom.
Today's blog:
Karen JohnHope runs Small Steps Daycare, in Lowell, Mass. And as a member of Strategies for Children's Advocacy Network, she is organizing a community art project that will also be a tool for advocacy.
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Join us today and all week on #The930Call
How to join these calls? Visit www.strategiesforchildren.org/930call, click the orange registration button, and complete the form. You will receive an email with the Zoom link. We use the same Zoom link for all 9:30 calls.
— Healey has called for universal pre-K in every Gateway City by the year’s end. Providers say they won’t get there, by Hallie Claflin, CommonWealth Beacon, February 18, 2026
“ ‘Do we have enough money right now in the system to fully fund spaces for every 4-year-old in every Gateway City? We’re not there yet,’ O’Leary said. ‘But the approach that we’re taking I think is our best shot at figuring that out.’ “
“Early education advocates like Amy O’Leary, executive director of the nonprofit Strategies for Children, agree.
“ ‘There are many families that are paying…tuition because the CPPI grant money doesn’t have that full reach,’ assistant superintendent of Salem Public Schools Kate Carbone said. ‘We target [grant resources] to the families with the highest need, but the funds don’t take care of everybody.’
"And, child care providers in cities that are participating say that while CPPI funding can be used for tuition relief, it does not cover every child fully."
"Healey’s fiscal 2027 budget asks for another $32 million for CPPI with a ‘pledge to achieve universal pre-kindergarten funding in all Gateway Cities this year.’ But seven of the 26 cities have not applied for funds through the CPPI program.
“The legislature has so far allocated about $60 million for the Commonwealth Preschool Partnership Initiative (CPPI), the main state grant program through which universal pre-K expansion is funded.
"At the center of the proposal was a lofty goal: By the end of 2026, every family of a 4-year-old in the state’s 26 Gateway Cities will have the opportunity – at low or no cost – to enroll their child in a preschool program that prepares them for kindergarten.
“Establishing universal pre-K for children in Gateway cities has been a priority of Gov. Maura Healey’s since she announced the ‘Gateway to Pre-K‘ initiative in January 2024.
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“Senator Lewis has been a champion for young children and early educators, delivering critical funding and policy supports for more than a decade. We will miss his partnership, and we wish him well in his next chapter.”
Responding to news of Lewis’ retirement, Strategies for Children’s Executive Director Amy O’Leary said, “We thank Senator Lewis for his consistent leadership in the Senate and as co-chair of the Joint Committee on Education.
Lewis will serve until the end of his current term, and he will not seek reelection in the fall.
