Carlisle Sentinel: Letter to the Editor: Commit Resources to Early Learning
February 22, 2018
Having raised four children all of whom attended pre-k programs over 20 years ago, I know that early learning programs provide children with opportunities to learn essential emotional and cognitive skills. Children in pre-k learn social skills, such as sharing, empathy, and self-control and gain exposure to pre-math and pre-literacy activities. My first grandchild is now in a high-quality child care program and preparing to begin his pre-k experience next school year.
Knowing the value of these programs, I commend Gov. Wolf for his $23 million proposal for child care services as well as his commitment to the state’s expansion of pre-k with a new $40 million investment which will serve 4,400 more kids. However, what about the more than 100,000 Pennsylvania kids who will still not get the opportunity to start kindergarten on par with my grandson and other classmates who were able to experience a pre-k education?
Pennsylvania ranks only 18th of the 30 states investing in high-quality, publicly funded pre-k. New Jersey is spending five times more per capita than Pennsylvania and West Virginia is leaps ahead of Pennsylvania providing universal access for pre-k aged kids since 2012.
If Pennsylvania wants to compete, we must commit resources to early learning. I hope and urge the legislature to fully fund the governor’s $40 million pre-k investment — it is an absolutely necessary, all be it a relatively small, step toward reaching those more than 100,000 Pennsylvania kids who otherwise will totally miss this chance!
Governor Wolf’s 2018-19 Budget Proposal, Ambitious Steps Forward for Early Learning in PA
Pre-K for PA, Early Learning PA Salutes Gov. Wolf’s Commitment to High-Quality Pre-k, Child Care Access, and Evidence-Based Home Visiting
HARRISBURG (Feb. 6, 2018)— The Pre-K for PA campaign, an initiative of the Early Learning PA (ELPA) coalition, saluted Governor Tom Wolf’s continued commitment to expanding access to early learning from birth to age five in Pennsylvania after he announced a $40 million expansion to high quality pre-k; a $6.5 million expansion to evidence-based home visiting programs; and a $23 million expansion to the state’s child care system, which will expand access to subsidized child care and increase funding for high quality programs as part of his 2018-19 budget address today.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA and Early Learning PA issued the following statement regarding the 2018-19 budget proposal:
“Governor Wolf’s 2018-19 budget proposal once again shows the Governor’s commitment to making wise use of public funds by proposing significant expansions in access to high-quality pre-k. We know that investing in pre-K also has widespread support in the legislature and for that reason we urge the legislature to fully fund the $40 million proposal in order to serve 4,400 more children next year.
“In states across the country we are seeing impressive investments in pre-k, which we hope will serve as an incentive to fully fund this proposal and inspire Pennsylvania to ramp up its investment in the coming years. New Jersey is spending five times more per capita for pre-k than Pennsylvania. West Virginia, which launched its pre-k program in 1983 and made it universal for all four-year-olds six years ago, is investing at three times the rate per-capita than Pennsylvania. In fact, Pennsylvania ranks 18th of the 30 states investing in high-quality, publicly funded pre-k.
“Today only 39 percent of eligible children in Pennsylvania benefit from the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend high quality publicly funded pre-k. Pennsylvania can serve the 106,200 eligible children by 2022, if Pennsylvania lawmakers fully fund Gov. Wolf’s $40 million proposed new investment and the state grows its investment with an additional $270 million over the next three years. If our neighboring states can prioritize pre-k, why not PA?
“Governor Wolf’s proposal also recognizes the importance of child care as a vital workforce support for young Pennsylvania families and a delivery system for high quality pre-k. In fact, 48 percent of children enrolled in Pre-K Counts are served by STAR 3 and 4 child care providers. We applaud efforts to again reduce the state’s waiting list for Child Care Works and increase tiered reimbursement rates for Keystone STAR two, three, and four programs. We are also excited that in addition to child care and pre-k, the proposal also grows funding for evidence-based home visiting programs.”
Governor Wolf’s budget proposal included:
- $30 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program and an additional $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. This $40 million expansion would serve 4,400 additional young children. Currently more than 106,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds do not have access to high-quality publicly funded pre-k programs.
- An additional $6.5 million investment in evidence-based home visiting programs expands home visiting for 800 eligible families and includes a cost of living adjustment for the two long standing home visiting models (Nurse Family Partnership and Family Centers – Parents as Teachers) who haven’t had a rate increase in nearly a decade.
- Investing $10 million more to expand access to 1,600 additional families waiting for access to the child care subsidy.
- $10 million in state funding coupled with $5 million in federal funding for increased tiered reimbursement rates for Keystone STAR two, three, and four child care providers.
- $3 million for a pilot program serving infants and toddlers in high quality child care.
Public Opinion: Op-Ed: Our Workforce Skills Gap
January 31, 2018
Franklin County’s economy is experiencing nearly unprecedented growth due in large part to our strategic location that is within a one-day drive of 50% of the North American population and our workforce, which is prized among employers large and small. Our growth has been such that our statistically calculated unemployment rate is 4%, which is a rate considered by most economists to represent full employment.
While our reported unemployment rate is very favorable, it is misleading. Many of our employers have vacant positions they cannot fill simply because there are not enough qualified applicants. In a recent Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry survey, more than half — 52 percent — said it is very difficult, at best, to recruit qualified job candidates, and 56 percent believe it will get worse by 2021. Only 21 percent — one in five — give the current labor force marks for job readiness of “excellent” or “good.”
Also, in that survey, more than nine employers in 10 said they look for verbal communication, reading comprehension, critical thinking, and basic math skills in their job applicants.
So, how do we close the skills gap? In the short term, it is incumbent on us to strengthen the relationship between our employers and our educational institutions to include secondary, post-secondary and our trade schools, especially the Franklin County Career and Technology Center and the newly opened Welding Training Center.
Our high-schoolers and their parents need to be better informed of the family sustaining career opportunities being offered by world-class employers right here in Franklin County. Moreover, they need to know of the post-secondary opportunities being offered at Wilson College, Penn State-Mont Alto and Shippensburg University. To that point, how many employers and current students know that Shippensburg University offers BS degrees in computer and software engineering as well as electrical, mechanical and civil engineering?
The next couple of years will require creative solutions in addressing the labor needs, but as we look to our future, the long-term solution is not as creative — it simply requires a commitment and investment in early childhood education.
We need to be better in providing access to quality pre-K education for all eligible preschool-aged children. Currently, 64 percent of eligible preschool-aged children in Pennsylvania are unable to access high quality, publicly funded pre-K due to limited state funding. Additionally, Pennsylvania is home to the widest per-pupil spending gap in the nation between wealthy and poor school districts. This shortchanges far too many schools, leading to larger classes, less personalized instruction, insufficient or outdated equipment, and cuts in academic offerings like career and technical education.
A skills gap among our workforce threatens our future economy … both here in Franklin County and across the Commonwealth. Boosting access to high quality pre-K and investing more long-term state funding through Pennsylvania’s fair education funding formula will address these inequities and help to close the skills gap ensuring a brighter economic future for all.
L. Michael Ross is president of the Franklin County Area Development Corporation.
Read the op-ed here.
WJET: PA ranks 18th out of 30 states in funding pre-k programs
January 30, 2018 by Jackie Roberts
In a study comparing 30 states, Pennsylvania is ranked 18th in investing in high-quality, publicly funded Pre-K.
“We talk about 16501 being the poorest zip code in Pennsylvania. That’s unfortunate and unacceptable and that needs to change. If we get these kids off on the right foot and a good foundation, that can change,” said Nick Scott, the vice president of Scott Enterprises.
Scott said the skills children learn in pre-k, make them stronger students and even more well-rounded employees.
He stood alongside representatives from the United Way and the Pennsylvania Partnership for Children, urging people to question public officials about their stance on funding pre-k, before election season.
Read the full article here.
York Dispatch: York-area business leaders urge candidates to support pre-K push
By Junior Gonzalez January 25, 2018
York County business leaders and child advocates this week urged candidates up and down the ballot in 2018 to make state funding for high-quality pre-K a major priority in their campaigns.
They say early education has consistently shown a return on investment for both the children and society at large.
York County Economic Alliance President and CEO Kevin Schreiber was joined Wednesday, Jan. 24, at the alliance’s downtown York City headquarters by Advancement Solutions LLC President Michael Smeltzer and Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President Joan Benso for a news conference.
They made their plea on the heels of a report published last week on pre-K funding.
According to the report, titled “Pre-K works, so why not PA?,” 64 percent of eligible children — or 112,900 3- and 4-year-olds — are not enrolled in high-quality, publicly funded pre-K.
Pennsylvania ranks 18th out of 30 states in public funding for high-quality pre-K, with $792 invested per capita, well short of neighboring states such as New York ($1,736), New Jersey ($3,227) and Maryland ($1,005).
“We’re asking every candidate, ‘What are you going to do?’” Benso said.
Schreiber said data has consistently shown a correlation between early learning and improvements in a range of settings, from academic performance to reduced crime and increased wealth.
In fact, for every dollar invested in quality pre-K, $4 is returned to the commonwealth in savings and benefits from reduced remedial education and crime, according to the report.
Unfortunately, too few children get the chance to seize the early learning opportunity under current funding, Schreiber said.
“They will enter school unprepared for everything that follows until they have too little to contribute to our community,” he said.
While Gov. Tom Wolf and elected officials on both sides of the aisle say they agree on the effectiveness of pre-K, more state assistance is needed to ensure eligible children gain access, Benso said.
How much more? About $310 million, she said.
About $85 million more in pre-K funding is needed in the next budget cycle, according to Benso, with an additional $225 million by the 2020-21 fiscal year in order to serve all children at risk of failure.
While the numbers might seem high, current funding figures simply don’t meet the demand from parents and students, she said.
“Come fall, many (early childhood learning) service providers turn families away because they simply don’t have enough public dollars to bring another child in the classroom,” Benso said.
While she said the favorability of pre-K is universal, commitments on paper from candidates have been more elusive.
So far, none of the declared Republican candidates for governor have taken a stance on early education policy, Benso noted.
As a business chief, Smeltzer said many of the traits he looks for in applicants, including problem-solving and adaptability, are among the skills reinforced in pre-K classrooms.
Read the full article here.
