Child Care Emergency Information

Governor Baker has recently issued COVID-19 Executive Order 49 which allows for EEC to support communities to expand safe, in-person supervision and supplemental care options for families with children enrolled in hybrid or remote learning.

The Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) are working to support communities as they expand access to safe care and support options when children are enrolled in fully remote or hybrid learning models this school year.

A full overview of these expanded options can be found in the Joint Guidance provided by EEC and DESE: Care options for Hybrid and Remote Learning Models.

There are three ways that communities can support options for families to access additional support during remote learning activities. For more specific guidance and policies, please visit Remote Learning Policies and Processes.

Expanded access to EEC licensed programs:
- EEC licensed providers will now be able to serve families while they are attending school, in addition to before, after and out-of-school time. This is an automatic expansion to include the school day for EEC licensed providers.
- EEC licensed providers will be able to expedite licenses for additional spaces to expand capacity to serve children in virtual learning and hybrid education models.
- EEC will support providers in creative solutions to partner with communities to meet the needs of families.
EEC licensed programs should speak with their licensor and apply through their LEAD portal.
New Remote Learning Enrichment Program Exemption:
- With approval from their municipal authority, programs can apply to EEC for a new license exemption to provide supervision, care and education support to school age children during school hours only.
- Municipalities will be responsible for ensuring background record checks, safety of the facility, and COVID-appropriate group sizes and health protocols for any approved entity.
- Care in these license exempt programs will be limited to children who are enrolled in school; applying entities must provide documented approval from a municipal authority in order to apply for the exemption.
Programs looking to apply for the new Remote Learning Enrichment Program Exemption can submit an application here starting the week of August 31.
Remote Learning Parent Cooperatives:
- Families may set up informal arrangements under the shared supervision of parents or guardians to support children during remote learning activities.
- Parents can establish these cooperatives without any license or license exemption granted by EEC if they follow a few simple criteria:
  - Limit the group to 5 families or less
  - All children must be enrolled in school (public or private, kindergarten or above)
  - A parent or guardian of one of the participating children must be on-site at all times, acting in a supervisory role, and available in case a child needs help at any time
  - No parent can be compensated directly for their time
A Remote Learning Parent Cooperative may hire a tutor or other paid adult to support remote instruction without requiring EEC licensure if all of the above criteria are met AND the paid tutor or instructor is working only during the hours of the school day.

If a Remote Learning Parent Cooperative includes more than 5 families, employs a teacher or supervisory staff member without a parent or guardian on site, or employs a teacher or supervisory staff member outside of school hours, they must be licensed by EEC or receive a license-exemption prior to operating. More information on EEC licensure can be found here.

Care Options for Remote and Hybrid Learning