Research has long demonstrated that high-quality early education and care substantially benefits at-risk children, including those experiencing poverty and housing instability. Long-term assessments from the University of Chicago, for example, find that the benefits to society from vulnerable children attending high-quality programs produce a rate of return of 13.7% per year and a cost / benefit ratio of 7.3.”
For children experiencing homelessness, early childhood services are particularly important. Children’s early years are a critical window for brain development; 90% of brain development occurs before the age of 5. Homelessness introduces toxic levels of stress into the life of a young child, negatively impacting brain development. Early education and care programs help alleviate and cope with stress, laying the foundation for healthy development. Yet only 8% of infants and toddlers experiencing homelessness in MA are enrolled in a childcare program. As such, Horizons supports policies that expand access to high-quality care for children experiencing homeless, while recognizing that high-quality care requires a compensation structure that properly pays educators.
Despite the clear benefits, limited public investment and high labor costs drive the price of care beyond the reach of many low-income families. We applaud the Commonwealth for the increased investment in the sector. Yet, even with increased investment, the Commonwealth spends 5 times more per kid in K-12 than in early education: $3,700 for early education and $20,000 for K-12. The price of early education and care in Massachusetts is the highest in the nation and continues to rise. The average price for infant care exceeds $24,000 per year (up from $21,000 in 2023) and preschool averages nearly $19,000 (up from $16,000 in 2023).
Only 8% of Massachusetts families can afford care for a single infant without exceeding the recommended HHS standard of paying no more than 7 percent of a household income on care. Still access for income-eligible vouchers remains frozen: more than 30,000 children in low-income families sit on the waitlist for vouchers.
Even with high tuition rates, early education and care providers often struggle to generate enough revenue to properly pay their educators. Center directors consider low wages and benefits to be the leading reason providers often cannot maintain needed staffing levels. Focusing on teachers themselves, the median salary for early educators in Massachusetts is $23/hour – more than $20 under a living wage .
High-quality early education is critical for cognitive, emotional, and social development, especially for children who have experienced trauma or housing instability. The high cost of childcare compounds existing vulnerabilities for children experiencing homelessness and reduces access to care during critical early years. Addressing this barrier is essential to breaking the cycle of homelessness and supporting healthy child development.
Beyond the direct effects on children, parents may be unable to work or find work due to a lack of childcare, perpetuating cycles of poverty and homelessness. A lack of childcare limits their ability to meet shelter requirements (e.g. job-search mandates) and delays permanent housing solutions.
In the 2025-2026 Session of the Massachusetts Legislature, Horizons prioritizes bills that transform how homeless families access quality, affordable early education and care services. Horizons also continues to actively advocate for long-term funding solutions that enable proper compensation to the undervalued educators shaping children’s futures day in and day out.
Tier 1 Bills: