On February 11, the Upper Darby Board of School Directors passed the below resolution in favor of expanded state investment in high-quality pre-k:
“THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, we the Upper Darby Board of School Directors, support the adoption of state funded policies that ensure every three and four year old child in Pennsylvania can access high-quality Pre-K education and as a result will more likely be ready for kindergarten, as well as academic and lifelong success.”
Public Citizens for Children and Youth’s latest Bottom Line reports on Early Care and Education in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery County highlight the following discrepancies in early education in the following areas due to lack of sufficient state funding:
Montgomery County Report: Less than a third of low-and-moderate income children have access to high quality early learning programs. Nearly seven thousand additional seats are needed to fill the gap.
Delaware County Report: Only 37 percent of low-and-moderate income children have access to high quality early learning programs. About 8,500 additional seats are needed to fill the gap.
Chester County Report: Less than a quarter of low-and-moderate income children have access to high quality early learning programs. More than 6,000 additional seats are needed to fill the gap.
Bucks County Report: Only about a third of low and moderate income children have access to high quality early learning programs. More than 5,000 additional seats are needed to fill the gap.
Visit the PCCY website to view all of the Bottom Line reports.
Campaign pushes pre-kindergarten in Pennsylvania
By Eleanor Chute / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
“In one room at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill, adults were kicking off a statewide campaign to seek access to high quality pre-kindergarten education for all 3- and 4-year-olds in the state.
In other rooms, 3- and 4-year-olds were living the experience at the JCC’s Early Childhood Development Center. They were reading books, playing with blocks, singing, creating art in small groups with a teacher and cleaning up after snack.”
For Immediate Release Media Contact:
David Caliguiri 412.613.7266
PITTSBURGH ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN JOINS STATEWIDE CAMPAIGN TO MAKE AVAILABLE HIGH QUALITY PRE-K FOR ALL OF PA’S KIDS
Pittsburgh, January 23, 2014: The Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC) has joined a statewide campaign advocating for high quality pre-k for every 3 and 4 year old in Pennsylvania. Kicking off the campaign, a statewide coalition of non-profit organizations launched Pre-K for PA today at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill, a provider of high quality pre-k and at the United Way of Westmoreland County in Greensburg.
“As a provider of high quality pre-k, we are excited to be a part of the campaign and to join in today’s statewide launch of Pre-K for PA,” said Brian Schreiber, JCC Executive Director.
We know high quality pre-k works. The percentage of 4 year-olds with proficient academic and social skills more than tripled from 22 percent to 82 percent after participating in PA Pre-K Counts programs and increased more than six-fold – from 12 to 76 percent – after participating in Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in 2012-13. Pre-K is working in Pennsylvania but serves far too few children.
“The public funds available for pre-k in Pennsylvania help fewer than twenty percent of 3 and 4 year olds access high-quality programs.” “As a result, too many families cannot find or access high quality pre-k which is essential to their children’s success, stated PAEYC Executive Director, Michelle Figlar.”
The campaign aims to ensure that every child in Pennsylvania, regardless of socioeconomic background, enters kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. According to research, children with access to high quality pre-k are more likely to advance grades and have improved social skills.
“Every parent in Pennsylvania, regardless of their socioeconomic background, should be able to enroll their children in pre-k programs that prepare them for kindergarten and set them up for success later in life,” stated Dr. Curtiss Porter, Chief Education and Neighborhood Revitalization Officer, City of Pittsburgh.
To turn this vision into a reality, Pre-K for PA is initiating a broad-based campaign to engage the Commonwealth’s businesses, civic leaders, educators and parents in creating the public will for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to provide the leadership and resources necessary so that every parent can enroll their child in affordable, high quality Pre-K.
Pre-K for PA is a statewide collaboration led in Western PA by the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children. The coalition is joined by statewide partners including: the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, Fight Crime, Invest in Kids, Mission: Readiness, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children,
Pennsylvania Head Start Association and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.
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5604 Solway Street Pittsburgh PA 15217 • 412.421.3889 • www.prekforpa.org
Click here to download PDF
For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Carey Learnard (Pre-K for PA) 215-260-5215
Statewide Coalition Kicks off Effort to Expand Access to High-Quality Pre-k
‘Pre-K for PA’ campaign seeks to ensure all children enter school ready to learn
(Philadelphia, Pa.) Jan. 23, 2014 – Kicking off a campaign to advocate for greater investment in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, a statewide coalition of non-profit organizations today launched “Pre-K for PA: All Children Ready to Succeed” to ensure that every 3- and 4-year old in Pennsylvania has the opportunity to access these initiatives.
“The public funds currently available for pre-k in Pennsylvania help fewer than 20 percent of 3- and 4- year-olds access high-quality programs. As a result, far too many families cannot access or afford the high-quality pre-k that is so essential to their children’s success,” said Jill Michal, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
Pre-K for PA seeks to expand access to critical, high-quality pre-k learning opportunities to ensure that all children are able to enter kindergarten with the skills they need to learn and succeed. According to research, children with access to high quality pre-k are more likely to advance grades and have improved social skills.
Pennsylvania voters have expressed strong, bipartisan support for making the additional investment in high-quality pre-k. A statewide poll of more than 600 likely voters conducted in November 2013 shows 63 percent of Pennsylvanians support increasing funding for pre-k and 58 percent of those polled saying they favor increased funding even if it required a tax increase.
Support for expanding access to high-quality pre-k is strong across party lines. The poll found that in both major parties and among independents, a majority of likely voters favors giving every 3- and 4-year-old access to high-quality pre-k.
“When all children arrive ready to learn, they are best able to take advantage of the educational benefits of classroom learning,” said Richard F. Dunlap, Jr., EdD, Superintendent, Upper Darby School District, “Education investment must start early before the achievement gap is too wide and expensive to overcome.”
The consequences of under-investing, or investing in pre-k programs that are not high quality, have the potential to negatively affect both society and the economy at large. Access to quality pre-k means that children are better prepared for future learning opportunities, less likely to need special education and remedial instruction, and more likely to graduate from high school and become a valued member of the workforce.
Pennsylvanians can join the campaign by visiting prekforpa.org or by following Pre-K for PA at facebook.com/prekforpa or twitter.com/prek4pa.
Pre-K for PA is a statewide collaboration led in Southeast PA by the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, Public Citizens for Children and Youth, and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. The coalition is joined by statewide partners including: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, Mission: Readiness, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, Pennsylvania Head Start Association, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, and Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children. Find more information online at: www.prekforpa.org.
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