Many early childhood education and extracurricular programs in Massachusetts require infrastructure improvements, but are having a difficult time finding funding, according to a new report by the Children’s Investment Fund.
The study, "Building an Infrastructure for Quality," is the first of its kind to focus on the impact facilities’ physical condition has on low- and moderate-income childrens’ health and learning, and uncovered several areas needing improvement.
The results of the study were presented this morning at the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston.
More than half of early childhood education facilities statewide lack indoor space for sports and games, an important contributing factor in childhood obesity. The study found that 22 percent of centers statewide suffer from poor ventilation, which can aggravate asthma, with 36 percent of centers lacking ventilation over diapering areas and toilets. Approximately 70 percent of sites lacked classroom sinks, which can help lower disease transmission rates. Only one facility of the 182 included in the survey was fully handicap accessible.
But it can be tough for providers to fund improvements. Many lease rather than own their space, and a significant number are not located in buildings dedicated to their purpose, but rather in homes, church basements and former schools. In addition, programs serving moderate and low-income families often rely on subsidies which are below market rate for funding.
"It’s impossible, given the rates of reimbursement, to be able to put money into reserve to fund any type of capital improvements," said Joan Kagen, president and CEO of Square One, which runs several child care and early education centers in Springfield.
"That was a message we heard loud and clear from providers," said Mav Pardee, program director, Children’s Investment Fund. "‘We’re out here in the real world, doing the best we can with the resources we have, and if you want to do something about facilities, it’s got to be a new source [of funding], it’s got be capital, and it can’t touch our rates.’ And we heard them."
The fund hopes to develop a public funding mechanism that will permit low interest, long-term loans for major repairs, renovations and/or new construction of early childhood education and out-of-school-time facilities to serve low-income children.
