Young children get one chance to benefit from high-quality pre-k, and delayed investments mean not only lost opportunities, but higher costs to our children and our society for missing those opportunities. Pennsylvania should put the needs of our children first by making high-quality pre-k accessible to every 3- and 4-year-old in the commonwealth. Use the profiles below to learn about the need for greater high-quality pre-k opportunities in your county. Let’s make sure all children in your county and across the commonwealth are ready to succeed.
Below is a list of the counties with download links for PDF Fact Sheets.
| Each fact sheet includes data points from “A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-K in PA” county-level data tables found at http://papartnerships.org/publication_files/state-of-pre-k-county-table-legal.pdf. High-quality pre-k includes: an unduplicated count of PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program, and Keystone STARS 3 and 4 enrollments; Head Start; public school pre-k; accredited or PDE licensed nursery school; and providers accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, National Association for Family Child Care, National Early Childhood Program Accreditation, and Council On Accreditation. Publicly funded, high-quality pre-k includes: the unduplicated count of PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and Child Care Works enrollments in Keystone STARS 3 and 4; Head Start; and public school pre-k. |
Part of our #100days100stories countdown to Election Day. Share your story at prekforpa.org/join.
SONJA CLAXTON, PHILADELPHIA, PA
“I graduated in 2008, during the Great Recession, and was expecting my first child two months later. Each night, I put my baby, Lailah, to bed and stayed up for hours looking for work. I had no job prospects and decided instead to focus on caring for my newborn. We spent most of our days between the park and the library. She got her first library card at 6 months old, and almost every day we stopped in for new books.
“The economic strains were too much to bear for my husband, so we split and my daughter and I would soon find ourselves homeless and penniless. Despite the circumstances, we were always able to locate our closest library. But there were only so many trips to the library one could take. After spending a year at home with me, I recognized my daughter needed something more – to socialize with other children. I enrolled her in daycare, only to hear teachers screaming at children to go to the potty and watch children propped in front of the TV.
“I stumbled upon the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Early Head Start program, a home visitation program for low-income parents of children ages 0-3. During our time at the Early Head Start program, Lailah and I participated in socialization activities for families and children – including messy activities with paper and glue, sing-alongs and story time.
“I was soon employed but didn’t make enough to cover the cost of full-time pre-k. My counselors at Early Head Start encouraged me to apply for the federal Head Start program as well as Bright Futures and Pre-K Counts. Through Early Head Start, I learned about Keystone STARS and attended the region’s early childcare conference, hosted by the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC). I received an email in the summer of 2011 that Lailah had been accepted into the Pre-K Counts classroom at Parent Infant Center – an email I still have to this day.
“She was quiet and timid at the time, but I would soon find pictures of her in the PIC newsletter engaged in activities. She became a voracious reader. On weekends, she would gather our family together for circle time to share and explain the pages of her favorite books. She learned about countries around the world, how to manage her emotions and even how to count in Mandarin. More than anything else, she and I were relieved. She was free to explore, examine and question the world around her, and I was able to go back to work with ease knowing that she was getting the education and care she needed.
“When she graduated kindergarten, she was comfortable with the course work, passionate about being in the classroom and open to learning more. In just a few weeks, Lailah will enter the first grade – I could not be more proud or excited to see my daughter blossom – thanks in large part to high-quality pre-k and the power of reading.” |
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Too many families face the painful choice between paying their bills and providing their child an early education.
This week, Pre-K for PA introduces a new report laying out options for our elected leaders to solve this problem.
Kevin is a dad from Chester County who could not manage the cost of sending his son to a good-quality pre-k. Now, his 6-year-old has had trouble socializing and getting used to the kindergarten classroom environment. He firmly believes that his son missed out on valuable learning and growing opportunities that could have better prepared him for school.
In Pittsburgh, Walter struggled but made it work for his daughter. “There are very few high-quality, public preschools available in Pittsburgh,” he described to Pre-K for PA. “We had to put her in a private preschool, which costs us $500 per month. Although we did get financial aid, it has been a struggle to pay this amount every month. Fortunately, it is a NAEYC-accredited school and we all love it. My daughter loves going to school.”
High-quality pre-k is out of reach for too many of Pennsylvania’s families.
New Pre-K for PA Report: Financing Access to High-Quality Pre-k
In a single year, nearly a quarter-million Pennsylvania children are left without the opportunity to benefit from high-quality, publicly funded pre-k. To learn how Pennsylvania can close its early learning gap, read “Financing Access to High-Quality Pre-k,” our third and final issue brief in a recent series.
Kevin’s second child is now 1-year-old. Let’s make sure that as she approaches kindergarten, a stronger system is in place for our families, schools and communities to thrive.
Let’s make high-quality pre-k a priority during these final days leading to Election Day. Ask your friends to sign our petition at www.prekforpa.org/join. To go further, download our new “Take Action from Home” toolkit.
Thanks for everything you do for Pennsylvania’s children.
– The Pre-K for PA team
Share the “Out of Reach” graphic on Facebook or Twitter.
We’re making high-quality pre-k a top priority in the 2014 election — with your help. Thanks for taking action from home.
On this page, download resources to recruit your personal contacts to sign the Pre-K for PA petition:
SAMPLE EMAIL TO FRIENDS
Feel free to edit this email with your own personal touch.
Dear _____,
We’re getting close to Election Day in Pennsylvania — November 4.
I am asking you to take a simple online action to help the young children and families in our commonwealth. Sign the petition to ensure that all 3- and 4-year-olds can access high-quality pre-kindergarten at www.prekforpa.org/join.
Pre-K for PA has put together an impressive statewide coalition to champion this cause. We need to make sure that all children have a chance at entering kindergarten ready to succeed. Many parents want their kids to have access to the kind of rich environments found at a good preschool, but right now only 1 in 6 children are able to access high-quality pre-k with public funds.
We want to make sure that the next Governor and General Assembly — no matter who is elected — makes our kids a priority. You can help make that possible by signing Pre-K for PA’s petition at www.prekforpa.org/join.
AND… Pre-K for PA has all kinds of graphics to spruce up your Facebook and Twitter feeds. After you sign the petition, visit www.prekforpa.org/share and pick a graphic to share on social media. I’ve copied one of my favorites below.
Your friend,
_______________
