Earlier this week, MBR President and CEO JD Chesloff was invited to testify on an early education and care panel at a Joint Committee on Ways and Means hearing to review the House 1 budget filed by the Healey-Driscoll Administration. The invitation-only hearing, focused on the budget provisions relating to education and local aid, was held at the UMass Student Union Ballroom and included testimony by Secretary of Education, Patrick Tutwiler, and other administrations officials, along with select panels to discuss higher education, K-12, and early education and care.

Each year, the Legislature must pass an annual budget for the Commonwealth and the process this year began when Governor Healey filed her first budget proposal, House 1. After receiving the budget proposal, the Joint Committee on Ways and Means typically holds invitation-only hearings around the Commonwealth, focused on different areas of the budget which include education and local aid, labor and economic development, social services, energy and environmental affairs, among other areas.

The early education panel included: JD Chesloff, President & CEO of the Massachusetts Business Roundtable, Claire Higgins, Executive Director of Community Action Pioneer Valley, Amy O’Leary, Executive Director of Strategies for Children, and Bill Eddy, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Association of Early Education and Care. In his testimony, JD discussed why investments in early education are so important to the state’s competitiveness, both in the short and long term. He also highlighted that Massachusetts’ greatest strength is its people and how the Roundtable’s latest report, “A Talent Agenda to Drive Massachusetts’ Competitiveness” can provide a roadmap with strategies that center around attracting, retaining, developing, and diversifying the talent pool and pipeline to meet the needs of the current and future economy. Pointing to specific funding for early education grants, early college programs, K-12 school-to-career connecting activities, STEM education, and college and career pathway programs, JD expressed the Roundtable’s support for investing in these critical programs.

In wrapping up his testimony, JD stated: “There is enormous potential for Massachusetts to build on its greatest strength – a talented workforce and labor market. The education related investments before you today are critical to achieving that goal. Employers and the state need to work together on policies that make the Commonwealth an inclusive, affordable, and competitive place for workers, residents, and businesses to call home. We are committed to that partnership with you.”

As an organization representing more than 90 CEOs and senior executives from large employers, the Roundtable looks forward to engaging members, the Legislature, and the Administration in this process to ensure the budget reflects the types of investments and policies that allow for both people and employers to thrive.

You can read the Roundtable’s full testimony here.