Section 192 Early Ed and Care Workforce Pipeline Report

(a) The department of early education and care, in consultation with the executive office of labor and workforce development, the commonwealth corporation and the early education and care workforce council, established in section 79 of chapter 154 of the acts of 2018, shall conduct a study and submit a report making recommendations to: (i) enhance the early education and care workforce pipeline; and (ii) develop strategies and prioritization of programming and funding opportunities to ensure that the early educator workforce meets the needs of the commonwealth.

(b) The report shall include, but shall not be limited to, recommendations on: (i) recruiting new early education and care providers; (ii) developing apprenticeship programs and non-traditional recruitment opportunities as part of a curriculum-based service-learning program; (iii) collaborating with early education and care providers and vocational schools with curricula that include early education and care; (iv) retaining early educators; (v) incentivizing the development of family child care providers; and (vi) exploring the potential for the growth of family child care providers into center-based programs.

(c) The department of early education and care shall file the report, along with any recommendations, with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on education and the joint committee on labor and workforce development not later than June 30, 2025. The report shall be made publicly available on the websites of the department of early education and care and the executive office of labor and workforce development.