In Boston, the availability of quality childcare and early education is limited and expensive. The gaps in access are highest in some of the city’s most racially diverse neighborhoods, including Dorchester, which has the highest population of children aged 0–5 (8,868) of Boston’s 15 neighborhoods.

New research from the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Cost and Usage Simulator Project shows that proposed legislation to provide financial support for families that cannot otherwise afford licensed childcare holds the potential to virtually eliminate racial inequities in access to quality care — provided that there is an adequate supply.

Under the proposed bill – “An Act providing affordable and accessible high quality early education and care to promote child development and well-being and support the economy in the Commonwealth” – just over 20 percent of all families in the state (128,500) would be eligible for financial assistance.

When examined by race, the financial assistance would affect 33 percent of Latino, non-Hispanic Black, and other (including multiracial) families with age-eligible children as compared with 20 percent of Asian families and 15 percent of White families. The use of licensed care would likely increase from 54 percent to 80 percent for non-Hispanic Black children and from 47 percent to 77 percent for Latino children.

How does this break down in terms of dollars?

The average cost of childcare per year for all income-eligible families would drop from $13,200 to just $2,600 if the reforms outlined in the legislation become law. It’s not overstating things to say that this reduction in costs of care is a potential game changer for all children, but especially those who are Black, Latino, or multiracial.

Research shows that parents and caregivers who receive financial assistance in paying for childcare choose higher quality care than they would otherwise. There is no shortage of evidence showing that young children who experience quality early care and education benefit in terms of their learning and development. These benefits accrue over the course of their lifetime and have positive long-term impacts on educational, social, and economic outcomes.

Reducing racial inequities in access to quality childcare during a critical developmental period for children can have a long-term positive impact in reducing broader racial inequities related to economic opportunities, education, health care, and housing faced by families and children in Massachusetts. While the legislation will not solve all of the problems related to racial inequities in childcare, reducing the costs of care is a critical step in the right direction.

Anne Douglass is a professor of early childhood education policy and founding executive director of Early Education Leaders, an Institute at UMass Boston. Laurie Nsiah-Jefferson is a faculty member in the Dept of Public Policy and Public Affairs and director of UMass Boston’s Center for Women in Politics and Public Policy.