BOSTON — The Healey-Driscoll administration is launching a new Educator Discounts Directory in celebration of Teacher Appreciation Week and as part of Gov. Maura Healey’s Early Education and Child Care Task Force. The directory aims to provide meaningful, everyday financial relief and acknowledgment for educators who are critical to Massachusetts’ economic vitality and long-term success.

Developed in collaboration with the Mass Cultural Council, the state’s arts agency, the Educator Discounts Directory connects early education and care and K-12 professionals with a broad range of discounts from local arts and cultural organizations statewide. The initiative recognizes the essential role educators play in supporting children, families, and communities.

“Teachers are the heart of our schools, childcare programs, and our communities,” Healey said. “As we celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, we’re recognizing the impact they have on our students and families and taking steps to support them. This new directory is a simple way to recognize their work and help them save money, while connecting them to the arts and cultural organizations that make Massachusetts so special.”

During its first year, the Early Education and Child Care Task Force hosted a series of 14 listening sessions across Massachusetts to hear directly from hundreds of parents, childcare providers, and community stakeholders. One of the main themes from the listening sessions was that there is an important opportunity to build the public’s appreciation and respect for the critical role early educators play in the healthy development of young learners. Providers cited the need for better compensation and benefits, as well as other offers for which K-12 educators are eligible (such as discounts for school supplies), in order to improve recruitment and retention of childcare educators and staff.