Governor Wolf: PA Reaches New Milestone by Expanding Early Learning to More Children and Acts to Stabilize Child Care Industry
September 30, 2021
After reaching another milestone that expands early education to more than 3,200 additional young children, Governor Tom Wolf today visited Community Services for Children’s Learning Hub in Allentown. During the visit, the governor highlighted the $30 million increase in state funding so more children can attend a quality pre-k program and the $655 million in federal funding available to help child care providers stabilize during the pandemic, allowing more parents to return to work.
“Studies show that children who learn in high-quality pre-k programs perform better in school and are more likely to graduate,” said. Gov. Wolf. “We know that early childhood learning programs are good for children, especially those affected by socioeconomic risk factors, but they’re also good for families and our economy, too. Parents and caregivers rely on affordable, accessible child care to go to work every day. When we ensure high-quality learning programs are available for children, we are making an economic investment to our communities.”
Since taking office, Gov. Wolf has increased funding for Pre-K Counts by 149% and for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (Head Start) by 77%. Both state programs ensure access to high-quality early learning programs for low-income families with children.
The $25 million increase this year allows Pre-K counts to serve an additional 2,900 children, while the additional $5 million for Head Start will serve 300 more children and their families.
Read full press release here.
The full virtual visit can be found here.
$30M more in Pa. funding boosts pre-K learning, Wolf says in Lehigh Valley visit
Sep. 30, 2021
The first years of development for Pennsylvania children took center-stage Thursday in Allentown, as Gov. Tom Wolf visited to announce millions in new funding for pre-K education and child care.
Wolf toured Community Services for Children’s The Learning Hub at 101 N. Sixth St. in Allentown to highlight, in part, a $30 million increase in state funding for pre-K education. That should equate to 2,900 more children in Pre-K Counts and 300 more children in Head Start programs, representing a bipartisan victory after the Republican-controlled Legislature included the spending in the state budget that runs through June 2022.
“We all suffer when we don’t do an adequate job in providing for early childhood education and child care,” the Democratic governor said, noting he’s doubled the state’s investment in early childhood education during his seven years in office.
The $30 million represents an increase to the previous $145 million secured by Wolf for early childhood learning programs, according to the governor’s office.
Read more here.
State budget boosted early childhood ed by $30 million
July 20, 2021
Gov. Tom Wolf joined lawmakers and advocates for early childhood education Monday to tout the benefits of a $30 million boost in funding for Pre-K Counts and Head Start programs included in the 2021-22 state budget.
“Early childhood education programs set students up for success,” Wolf said at a press conference in Reading. “When our children are successful in school and beyond, that sets our commonwealth up for success, too.
“That’s why I’ve fought so hard to support early learning in Pennsylvania – doubling its investment – and this year’s budget increased our investment in quality early childhood education once again.”
The funding included in the budget includes $25 million to add 2,800 children to Pre-K Counts programs – half-day and full-day pre-kindergarten programs, which are designed to help children who are at least 3 but haven’t entered kindergarten, are at risk of school failure and living in families earning up to 300% of the poverty level. For a family of four, that’s $73,800.
The funding also provided $5 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, which will help 470 children. Head Start programs are designed for children ages 3-5 and are targeted at children in families with income below the federal poverty line, which for a family of four is $24,600.
Read the full article here.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf pushes Pre-K expansion
Jul 8, 2021
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf will be in Lancaster Thursday, promoting the state’s plan to expand pre-kindergarten.
The 2021 to 2022 Pennsylvania state budget, which was signed into law at the end of June, increased funding for Pre-K expansion by $30 million.
On Thursday, Wolf will join community leaders, students and parents at the outdoor learning center at the Community Action Partnership in Lancaster to discuss the importance of investing in early childhood education.
Proponents say the increased budget will allow for more than 3,000 additional children to attend Pre-K in the upcoming school year. Leaders with the group Pre-K for PA support the funding, saying:
Read the full article here.
Parents seeking child care struggle with access, costs
June 26, 2021
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (AP) —
As Megan Garman’s due date approached, she began making calls to several child care centers in the Johnstown area to get her daughter enrolled, but found herself signing up for waiting list after waiting list.
“It’s very, very stressful,” she said.
Garman began her search more than one year ago and is still waiting for a slot to open up. Thankfully, she said, a family member was able to fill in, but the working mother knows that’s not a permanent solution.
Every few months, she calls the centers again to see if her family has moved up on the waiting lists and hopes for the best.
“It’s like there’s no light at the end of the tunnel,” Garman said.
The Johnstown resident’s story is not uncommon in Pennsylvania, which suffers from a lack of access and affordability for child care and early childhood education facilities.
There are more than 500,000 Pennsylvanian children under the age of 5 and about 300,000 infants and toddlers who need child care, according to advocacy group Start Strong PA. Roughly half in both categories are eligible for Child Care Works – a state subsidized program that provides low-income families with access to reliable, quality programs.
Read full article here.
