The Commonwealth’s Fiscal Year 2024 budget, signed by Governor Healey on August 9, 2023, includes investments in key education policy initiatives over the next year. The legislature and Governor Healey continue to demonstrate their commitment to growing impactful education programs across the state that will help more students succeed and drive progress on narrowing persistent equity gaps. MBAE is very grateful for their continued support in FY24.

Pathways Related Investments

Some of the most promising parts of the FY24 budget are the investments that will be made in strengthening and scaling college and career pathway programs that help prepare more students for success after high school:

• A historic investment of nearly $28 million in dedicated funding for Early College programs, which is an increase of $8.8 million from last year’s budget. The funding for Early College is split between two line items:
  • $15.15 million for Early College Programs (7009-6600)
    • FY23 investment: $10 million
  • $12.6 million For Dual Enrollment (7066-0019)
    • FY23 investment: $9 million
  • A new line item (1596-2413) that provides $5 million of Fair Share surtax revenue that can be used to support Early College, Innovation Pathways, and other college and career activities:
    • FY23 investment: did not exist
  • A $1 million increase in dedicated funding for Innovation Pathways programs:
    • $5.9 million for Career Technical Partnership Grants (7027-0020)
      • FY23 investment: $4.8 million
  • Continued funding for the CTE After Dark program, which helps more students access the rigorous workforce training programs offered at vocational high schools:
    • $3.5 million for Career and Technical Education Program (7035-0001)
      • FY23 investment: $3.5 million
  • Continued, but slightly decreased, funding for the Connecting Activities program, which helps schools make outreach to local businesses and develop internship programs for students:
    • $7.8 million for School-to-Career Connecting Activities
      • FY23 investment: $8.7 million

Higher Education Investments

MBAE also appreciates the investments that the legislature and Governor made in key higher education initiatives:

• Continued funding for the Community College SUCCESS fund, which provides wraparound supports that help students (including those in pathway programs) remove barriers to degree completion:
  • $14 million for Community College SUCCESS fund (7100-4002)
    • FY23 investment: $14 million
  • A policy that allows undocumented students to pay in-state college tuition rates at public institutions of higher education and to receive state financial aid;
  • A new program to offer free community college for adult learners, as well as funding to cover student costs at community college nursing programs.

Early Childhood Investments

The FY24 budget also includes important investments in early childhood education and care programs:

• Funding the costs of the Child Care Operational Grants program administered by the Department of Early Education and Care.

Other Budget Initiatives

Lastly, the FY24 budget includes a number of additional education policy initiatives:

• Another year of full funding for the Student Opportunity Act, which provides funding increases to districts serving students with the highest needs to be spent on evidence-based programs designed to narrow equity gaps;
• Investments in other key programs including the Career Technical Initiative and the 21^st Century Education Trust Fund; and
• Full funding for free Universal School Meals for students.

MBAE is very encouraged by these significant investments, especially in growing pathways, and we look forward to building on the momentum that they will generate. As a founding member of the MA Alliance for Early College, we have strongly supported these impactful programs for a number of years and we recognize that the $9 million increase for EC is a momentous occasion that should be celebrated.

We are also grateful for the increased investments in the new pathways line item and the Innovation Pathways programs. The new line item is particularly exciting and very aligned with the agenda of the Student Pathways to Success Coalition, a group of 14 organizations (including MBAE) who bring different perspectives to the work and have united around a common vision of strengthening college and career pathways. This new funding will ensure that the state is taking steps to ensure that these programs are scaled in ways that maintain a high bar of quality while expanding student access in equitable ways.

We are grateful not only to the legislature and the Governor but also to our Members, Affiliates, and partners for your continued support. Your partnership strengthens our efforts to advocate for these sort of funding increases and we are very appreciative of all that you do. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything the MBAE team can do to support you and your work.