HEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL CHILDREN
We desperately need to take better care of Massachusetts children and the people raising, caring for, and educating them. The cost of childcare is an incredible burden on families. Our public education system is chronically underfunded. One out of every eight children in our region is food insecure. The Commonwealth is fourth from the bottom nationwide in our ability to provide stable homes to kids in foster care. And families are falling into homelessness in Massachusetts at a faster rate than in any other state in the nation.
Investments in children should need no defense. Amber will advocate for:
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Expanding access to public pre-k and full-day kindergarten as progress toward an ultimate goal of universal childcare
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Building on the progress of the Student Opportunity Act and ensuring every child has access to a high-quality public education that meets their individual needs
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Providing the over 3,000 food-insecure individuals (including hundreds of children) in the First Essex District with the benefits and support they need today, while pursuing systemic reform to prevent food insecurity tomorrow
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Significantly strengthening the programs designed to keep children in safe and stable homes