LancasterOnline: Sturla, Cutler receive 2017 Pre-K Champion awards for efforts supporting early childhood education investments
April 18, 2017 by Jonas Fortune
Two Pennsylvania lawmakers from Lancaster County were honored Monday for their support to expand investment in early childhood education across the state.
Pre-K for PA, a statewide campaign to bolster early childhood education, honored Democratic state Rep. Mike Sturla and Republican state Rep. Bryan Cutler with its 2017 Pre-K Champion award at an event at Lancaster Recreation Commission.
Pre-kindergarten education focuses on the developmentally sensitive ages of 3 and 4 as children prepare socially and cognitively for life and school, said Bruce Clash, state director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids and a Pre-K for PA advocate.
“High-quality pre-K involves a highly qualified teacher with a bachelor’s degree that understands child development, that can identify kids with learning disabilities,” Clash said. “Identifying them and getting them the help they need early gets them back on grade level with their peers later on.”
However, budgetary issues have limited the number of children who can participate in state-funded programs, Clash said.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s 2017-18 $32.3 billion state budget proposal includes $65 million in additional funding for the Pre-K Counts program and an additional $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance program.
State House Republican leaders countered Wolf’s spending plan with a $31.5 billion budget proposal that trims the governor’s proposed additional $75 million for early childhood education to $25 million.
Sturla is the Democratic policy committee chairman, and Cutler is the House majority whip.
Statewide, of the 300,460 3- and 4-year-olds who live in Pennsylvania, 112,900 of those who are eligible do not have access to the 2,431 eligible state-funded pre-K locations, according to Pre-K for PA.
Of the 1,940 3- to 4-year-olds who live in Sturla’s 96th District, 828 of those who are eligible do not have access to the 19 eligible state-funded pre-K locations in Lancaster city, according to Pre-K for PA.
“This isn’t really a matter of there aren’t enough facilities. The facilities just can’t afford to do it for free,” Sturla said.
“It’s going to cost some money now and going to cost some money for 20 years,” Sturla said. “But in the end, that payoff is such that we can pay for it with saved prison costs, additional revenue from people actually getting decent jobs and being trained and well-educated and well-adjusted to community and socialization and things like that.”
In Cutler’s 100th District in southern Lancaster County, of the 1,878 3- to 4-year-olds who live there, 1,330 of those who are eligible do not have access to its four eligible state-funded pre-K locations, according to Pre-K for PA.
“The truth is, even though some folks may qualify for it, they may not want to participate in it,” Cutler said. “Perhaps they use a different program that is not state-qualified, but is run through their church or something like that.
“We have to recognize that everybody might have a different direction they want to go in,” he said. “Be mindful of that, but for the kids who want that opportunity, we should do our best to work toward that.”
CBS 21: Gov. Wolf and First Lady Host Easter Egg Hunt
HARRISBURG, Pa — Easter celebrations continued on Monday at the PA Governor’s Residence.
Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf hosted an Easter Egg Hunt with area preschoolers.
Dozens of little ones scoured the governor’s lawn in search of brightly-colored eggs. Today’s event was cohosted by Pre-K for PA, a campaign that strives to provided high-quality early childhood education.
“We’re looking for priorities, where we are going to get the best return for investments of taxpayer dollars and early childhood education is the best it’s going to be. I don’t think there’s anything that is more important.”
The event also included a petting zoo with several of the Easter Bunny’s friends.
See the video here.
Public News Service: House Bill Shortchanges PA Kids, Education Advocates Say
April 6, 2017 by Andrea Sears
HARRISBURG, Pa. – A budget bill passed by the state House of Representatives on Tuesday falls far short of adequately funding Pre-K and child care, according to early learning advocates.
In his budget proposal, Gov. Tom Wolf calls for a $75 million increase in funding for high quality Pre-K.
But according to Jodi Askins, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children and principal partner of Pre-K for PA,
House Bill 218 would increase that funding by only $25 million.
“And in child care, the House actually cut about $28 million from what the current appropriations are, and the governor had proposed an increase,” she points out.
Wolf had proposed a $35 million increase in child care funding.
Askins says the governor’s proposed expansion of Pre-K would serve more than 8,400 children who are qualified for state funded Pre-K but aren’t getting it.
“Obviously, that is still a far cry from the 113,000 children that are still in need of access, but at least it is a significant step forward,” she states.
The Pre-K for PA campaign is calling for a state investment of about $400 million in Pre-K over the next three to four years.
Askins points out that every dollar invested in high quality Pre-K produces up to $17 in long term savings and benefits, beginning with greater success in school.
“We see increased success in high school graduation, decrease in remediation and juvenile delinquency, and higher rates of individuals who graduate from high school that also then go on to college,” she states.
Pre-K for PA is asking the legislature to include Wolf’s proposed increases for Pre-K and child care in the final budget.
Read the article here.
House Bill 218 Does Not Adequately Invest in Services for PA’s Youngest Citizens
Harrisburg, PA (April 4, 2017) – As the Pennsylvania budget process gets underway today with the House of Representatives approving House Bill 218, the Pre-K for PA campaign issued a statement on the passage of a budget that does not adequately invest in Pennsylvania’s early learning continuum.
House Bill 218 included a $25 million increase to high-quality pre-k ($20 million for Pre-K Counts and $5 million for Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program), which is $50 million less than Governor Wolf’s proposed investment.
House Bill 218 also included deep cuts to other programs that ensure Pennsylvania’s earliest learners are prepared to be successful in school and beyond, including nearly $62 million less than Governor Wolf’s FY 2017-18 proposal for child care, a $28 million cut to the FY 2016-17 budget.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA issued the following statement regarding the passage of HB 218:
“The budget process is never easy, and it is just getting underway, but today the House approved a budget introduced only yesterday that falls far short of what could be considered an adequate investment in services to our youngest citizens. Pennsylvania delivers high-quality, publicly-funded pre-k to many children, but nearly 113,000 remain unserved and a serious investment must be made to continue toward the goal of providing access to all at-risk kids.
“Pre-k doesn’t just benefit the children fortunate enough to access a high-quality program, it benefits the entire commonwealth. Research shows that every dollar invested in high-quality pre-k returns up to $17 in long-term savings and benefits through reduced costs to our schools and society, stronger earnings potential in our workforce and increased tax revenues supporting a more robust economy.
“A strong pre-k system is dependent on an appropriately financed child care system and this proposal will continue to undermine child care financing in our state. This lack of adequate funding undermines the continuum of high-quality early learning in Pennsylvania. The stronger the investment in high-quality early learning – including pre-k, child care and home visiting – the greater the return – for our children and our commonwealth.
“We urge legislators to continue investing in early learning for the sake of young children and our commonwealth and support a FY 2017-18 state budget that includes an increase of $75 million for pre-k, a $35 million increase in funding for child care and a $9 million increase in home visiting services.”
Community-Based Family Center and Nurse-Family Partnerships appropriations were also cut from the current fiscal year and HB 218 fails to include Governor Wolf’s proposed $9 million allocation for evidence-based home visiting to expand the reach of these and other similar programs.
Currently in Pennsylvania, there are more than 112,900 eligible preschool children, or 64 percent statewide, who qualify for high-quality, publicly funded pre-k but remain unserved. Governor Wolf’s budget proposal included $65 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 $75 million expansion would serve more than 8,400 additional young children.
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Its vision is that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. For more information visit www.prekforpa.org.
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Tribune-Democrat: Quality pre-k education key to future workforce
By Mike Artim March 19. 2017
As the new president and CEO of Greater Johnstown/County Cambria Chamber of Commerce, one of the issues I hear about from local businesses is how they struggle to find workers to meet their needs.
And our region isn’t alone.
A report from Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry found that more than half of Pennsylvania employers report difficulty finding employees with adequate skills, training or education, especially in technical fields.
So what can we do to fix this?
Efforts to engage young talent in STEM fields during the K-12 years certainly matter, but a recent report from ReadyNation points to the growing body of research showing that front-end investments in high-quality early childhood education truly plant the seeds of STEM learning.
For example, knowledge of math in preschool and kindergarten is a powerful predictor of later school success, not just in math but also in reading and overall achievement. Children with persistent math problems at ages 6, 8 and 10 are less likely to graduate from high school or attend college.
Unfortunately, across Pennsylvania, 112,900 3- and 4-year-olds who qualify for publicly funded, high-quality prekindergarten are not served. That’s more than 64 percent of eligible children, according to “A Path Forward: Publicly Funded High-Quality Pre-K in Pennsylvania,” from Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.
Here in Cambria County, the number of eligible children not enrolled in publicly funded, high-quality prekindergarten could fill 53 classrooms.
The unmet need, here and statewide, is fueling a campaign called Pre-K for PA. This campaign has united a wide array of voices calling for greater access to pre-K including United Way, mayors, pediatricians, chamber of commerce leaders, prominent athletes, military and law enforcement leaders and, most importantly, parents of young children.
All these people from varied spheres agree that investments in high-quality prekindergarten make a difference in the lives of children. Further research reveals that children from high-quality prekindergarten are:
• More likely to advance grades in school and have improved social skills.
• Less likely to need special education placements.
• More likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college, increasing their employment possibilities and lifetime earning potential.
• Less likely to commit crimes later in life.
For our communities, the need for less special education and criminal justice intervention saves taxpayer money.
Plus, our workforce and economy are strengthened with educated people equipped with the communications and teamwork skills that employers value.
In fact, every dollar invested returns $17 in long-term savings and benefits.
Currently being considered as part of next year’s state budget is an additional $75 million that would provide pre-K services to 8,400 more children.
Few investments promise such high, proven returns as quality early childhood education.
This must continue to be a priority for Pennsylvania.
Mike Artim is president and CEO of Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce and serves as a member of ReadyNation.
Read the op-ed here.
