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Rural CFCE coordinator urges EEC to boost funding for family and community engagement programs
Summary
A long-time CFCE coordinator told the EEC board that five small western Massachusetts communities lack access and staff capacity, and asked the department to plan funding increases after a decade without budget growth for CFCE programs.
Gillian Boudin, a Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE) coordinator, told the Department of Early Education and Care board that CFCE programs serving five small western Massachusetts towns are strained and need more sustained funding.
Boudin, who said she has worked with the CFCE grant program for 27 years, described program realities in Irving, Leverett, New Salem, Wendell and Shutesbury, noting limited program options and families who struggle to find accessible early care. "With limited access to early care and education programs within our communities, we mostly have our public schools which have preschool programs," she said, describing an average of 18–21 children attending a new library playgroup in one town.
What she asked for: Boudin urged the board to plan additional financial support for CFCE programs across the state, citing workforce priorities (pay increases to retain staff), program stability needs and bilingual staffing to expand family access. She told the board it has been more than a decade since CFCE budgets increased.
Why it matters: CFCE coordinators act as local engagement hubs that connect families to resources and help with transitions to early education. Board members acknowledged the role CFCE plays in rural access and encouraged the department to consider how the task force’s work could support local networks.
Outcome: The comment was part of the public-comment period; the board did not take immediate action on CFCE funding at the meeting but affirmed the importance of field feedback as staff finalize the task-force report and rate proposals.
