The Intelligencer: DA joins call for more pre-K in Bucks County
January 10, 2019 by Christian Menno
Bucks County needs 174 more pre-kindergarten classrooms to meet demand, according to an educational group.
When Bucks County’s top law enforcement officer speaks in front of a crowd, it’s usually a throng of media members or a packed courtroom.
But on Thursday District Attorney Matt Weintraub had a captive audience of a different kind when he visited with youngsters at Radcliffe Learning Center in Bristol Borough.
He urged students to keep each other safe and treat each other with respect.
But his message to residents and lawmakers in Harrisburg was to continue to push for funding of quality pre-kindergarten programs, to which 74 percent of eligible children in Bucks County do not have access, according to studies.
“Pre-k is critical,” Weintraub said after interacting with the kids. “It’s been proven … time and time again that the more education that we can give to the children and the younger that we can start the less problems that they face as they grow up, less crime that we have to attend to, the more intact that their families will become and it’s just a positive cycle that continues to grow.”
The number of students without access to high-quality providers statewide is less than in Bucks and sits at 61 percent, says data compiled by KIDS COUNT: Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.
Thursday’s event, which also included Bristol Borough police Sgt. Pete Faight, was organized by Public Citizens for Children and Youth as part of the Pre-K for PA initiative.
PCCY’s Education Coordinator Bill Shoffler said the county needs 174 additional pre-k classrooms to meet the demand.
The benefits if that number is reach, he said, would be “immeasurable.”
“What studies have found is that kids who attend a quality pre-k do better in school, have higher graduation rates and as adults they’re actually healthier,” Shoffler said. “They rely less on social support and one of the reasons our district attorney is so supportive of pre-k is that they have less interaction with the criminal justice system.”
He called the $25 million in pre-kindergarten funding included in the final 2018-19 state budget a good start, but stressed that more efforts are needed.
One of the ways an institution in Pennsylvania is viewed as “high quality” is through participating in certification programs.
Pre-K Kids Adorn PA Capitol Christmas Tree with Hand-crafted Ornaments, Join Gov. Wolf at Tree-Lighting Ceremony
Advocacy campaign seeks to expand pre-k access to all eligible PA children
HARRISBURG (December 6, 2018)— The Pre-K for PA campaign organized the creation of thousands of original ornaments crafted by pre-k students from all corners of the commonwealth this month to help decorate the Pennsylvania Capitol Christmas tree. Today, dozens of pre-k students joined Governor Wolf at the tree lighting ceremony to celebrate the start of the holiday season in the Capitol.
“Seeing young children enjoy the magic of the holidays is a reminder of their optimism and potential,” said Governor Wolf. “Hand-crafted ornaments created by our youngest Pennsylvanians will adorn family Christmas trees across our commonwealth, demonstrating the importance of pre-k and lifelong learning.”
“The fortunate students here today represent a handful of the thousands of students who have benefitted thanks to the leadership of Gov. Wolf, and members of the General Assembly on both sides of the aisle, from continued commitment to pre-k expansion,” said Joan Benso, President & CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, a principal partner of Pre-K for PA. “This past year, the Pennsylvania budget gave about 2,600 more children the opportunity to attend a high-quality pre-k program. This year our holiday wish is for Pennsylvania to make another serious investment as there are still 106,000 children across the commonwealth missing out on high-quality, publicly funded pre-k.”
Today only 39 percent of eligible children in Pennsylvania attend high-quality, publicly funded pre-k, leaving more than 106,000 children without the benefit of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, due to limited state funding.
A poll commissioned by the Pre-K for PA campaign done by Harper Polling in May showed 75 percent of likely voters support increasing funding to expand access to high-quality, publicly funded pre-kindergarten, while 94 percent of voters believe that early education is important.
A large body of research shows that children who attend high-quality preschool:
Enter kindergarten with stronger literacy, language, math and social/emotional skills;
Are less likely to need special education services, less likely to repeat grades, and more likely to graduate and enroll in college;
Over a lifetime, these young learners will see stronger employment opportunities and increased earning potential; and,
Are less likely to commit juvenile and adult crimes.
No child gets a do-over and every dollar invested provides access to a high-quality pre-k experience, which reaps significant cost savings in the future in the form of less public spending on special education, social welfare programs, and criminal justice.
A list of pre-k centers participating in the creation of Capitol Christmas tree ornaments can be found at www.prekforpa.org/tree.
York Dispatch: Editorial: More Pre-k Funds Needed
October 12, 2018
Local advocates for high-quality early education recently celebrated the expansion of pre-K funding that allowed them to accommodate more children and expand programming.
An additional $25 million in funding was added to the state budget this year for early childhood education — $20 million going to PA Pre-K Counts programs and $5 million to Head Start Supplemental.
That’s a good start, but experts say much more is needed to reach all of Pennsylvania’s eligible children.
More than 200 for Pre-K Counts grants were awarded this fiscal year, and one recipient was the YWCA York, which was able to open a new pre-K classroom for 20 additional students.
That brings the YW’s program, which serves families with incomes up to 300 percent above the poverty level and provides free tuition and subsidies or scholarships for before- or after-school care, up to eight classes for children age 3 to 5.
As supporters rightly point out, high-quality early education is an investment that provides young children the solid start needed to succeed both academically and socially in school.
That increases the likelihood they’ll stay out of trouble, graduate from high school and enroll in college or join the military, leading to better career opportunities.
High-quality pre-K programs also boost local economies by eventually producing the skilled workers new businesses need.
“One of the things you read about Pre-K Counts is it prepares the children to enter the structured format of the school district,” YWCA York CEO Jean Treuthart said earlier this month at a gathering of local pre-K boosters.
“What I love seeing is not that we’re getting them ready for structure but that we’re just lighting the fire of curiosity and discovery,” she added.
Unfortunately, many more children who could benefit from a head start remain in the dark.
Morning Call: Letter to the Editor: Fully Fund Pre-k Programs in PA
August 16, 2018
As an educator, I often am forced to battle in my gut between what children should have access to and what they can have access to.
Of this I’m certain: Pre-K education is a valuable experience all Pennsylvania children should have access to for its proven social, emotional and developmental benefits.
I’m not alone. When it comes to the benefits of high-quality pre-K, 94 percent of Pennsylvanians agree that it is necessary for children to learn the appropriate behaviors and social skills to succeed in school. I’m writing to encourage the governor and Legislature to fully fund pre-K.
Our leaders in Harrisburg deserve recognition — they prioritized pre-K in the 2018-19 state budget by growing high-quality pre-K funding by 11 percent compared to the full budget, which grew by just 1.7 percent. This is wise investing and good politics.
The $25 million investment in pre-K programs in the 2018-19 state budget will help thousands of kids access high-quality pre-K, but how can they limit funding to some?
Next year, let’s set a course to ramp up our investment because, as we know, the tens of thousands of kids missing out won’t get a do-over.
Morning Call: Letter to the Editor: Early Education Funding Critical
August 6, 2018
Kudos to our legislators for coming together across party lines to support young children and their families. By passing the state budget for 2018-2019, which has increased the funding for high quality pre-K programs by 11 percent, they have clearly demonstrated their understanding about the critical role of early experiences for future success in lives of our children.
Research in the field has shown that investment in early education brings positive outcomes for all concerned. A recent poll conducted in the state also demonstrates that 94 percent of Pennsylvanians consider early education as important. The state’s budget reflects the voice of its citizens and is aligned with the wisdom of the experts in the field.
While the increased funding will help many children to access quality pre-K programs and start kindergarten fully prepared for formal schooling, more funds are needed to cover all eligible children. All children have a right to quality preschool experiences and deserve the opportunity to reach their full potential. Legislators must continue to find ways to fund early education for every child in the commonwealth. Our work is not done until we have reached this goal.
