Now, and perhaps more than ever since the pandemic, we have become increasingly aware of the importance of family literacy and early childhood care and education - from both provider and consumer standpoints.

Like other professionals and essential workers, early childhood care and education providers deserve fair and competitive wages and benefits that reflect their professional qualifications and expenses, need for continuing education and professional development, range of responsibility, and status as “essential workers” who often serve the most vulnerable members of our society.

Families need more financial support to afford reliable, quality care that fits their professional and educational needs, as they work to contribute to the growth of society by creating more well-adjusted youngsters and increasingly literate families.

As citizens of the Commonwealth, we must feel compelled to support families and early childhood educators who indeed improve literacy and quality of life for our society as a whole, through reliable, informed, and respectful care and education of our 0-6-year-old citizens. To achieve this goal, stakeholders (all citizens) need to become more educated and involved in policy and advocacy issues across the state, and across the country. Measurable improvements that support family and early childhood literacy are crucial not only for the providers, educators, families, children, and students involved but also for the economy as a whole.

In the coming months and years, we hope to provide more information and educational opportunities to strengthen the knowledge base and functional capacity of MRA members statewide to advocate for and actively promote improvements in this field. 

Respectfully submitted,

Nancy Kelly Verdolino, Chair

Families and Early Childhood Literacy Committee