Philly.com: Commentary: PA Can Invest in Children and the Nation
October 21, 2016
By Mark Schweiker and William B. Lynch
This election season might feel more raucous than any in U.S. history, but at the heart of all campaigns are the issues that never change. Since this nation was founded, Americans have gone to the polls because they want better lives for themselves and bright futures for their children.
Those who have spent time in public service and the armed forces are acutely aware that we have a duty to help all children achieve their potential as productive, contributing citizens.
However, if we merely hope that children grow up to be tomorrow’s leaders and innovators, we’re gambling on an issue critical to this nation’s survival. As the Council for a Strong America has found, too many children are unprepared for the workforce, unqualified for the military, and mired in crime at a young age.
The council is a national, bipartisan nonprofit that unites five organizations comprising law enforcement leaders, retired admirals and generals, business executives, pastors, and prominent coaches and athletes. Together, we promote solutions that ensure our next generation of Americans will be citizen-ready, and to mark its 20th year, the council has just released the 2016 Citizen-Readiness Index.
Citizen-readiness encompasses the positive capabilities and traits acquired in childhood that lay the groundwork for productive adulthoods. This report reveals those junctures where children fall short of their potential – perhaps with lifelong consequences – and offers research-based solutions grounded in early childhood to assure that kids start life on a productive path, and stay there.
The index grades states on their performance, and if this were a child’s report card, many states would go to bed without supper. More than three-quarters of states earned a grade of C or worse. Sadly, Pennsylvania earned a D. The Keystone State nearly fails on the three criteria of citizen readiness:
13 percent of youth ages 16 to 24 are unemployed and not in school. What are they doing with their time? Certainly not learning new skills to improve their employability and earning power.
13 youth out of 100 ages 17 to 24 have an arrest record. This early entanglement with the criminal justice system can create a damaging ripple effect for years to come.
72 percent of youth ages 17 to 24 are ineligible for military service due to problems with obesity, education, drug abuse, or crime. The implications are sobering. Our nation cannot rely on three out of four young Pennsylvanians to serve their country. As retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Mike Hall said, “It begs the question, if you aren’t qualified to serve in the military, what else are you not qualified to do?”
Fortunately, the index recommends a solution – investments in research-based policies to assure that children start strong and grow up healthy.
First, we can support strong families through expanding resources for evidence-based home visiting services. These voluntary programs send trained professionals into the homes of vulnerable new parents to educate them on health, nutrition, learning opportunities, and appropriate discipline. Evidence shows that home-visiting programs reduce incarcerations of mothers and their daughters, boost family self-sufficiency, and improve children’s learning abilities.
Second, we can further advance early education. Preparing children for success in school improves their future qualifications for good jobs and military service, while it also deflects involvement in crime. Unfortunately, more than 120,000 of Pennsylvania’s eligible 3- and 4-year-olds still lack access to PA Pre-K Counts and state-funded Head Start.
Pennsylvania has a long history of supporting early learning. It began in the Schweiker administration with an Early Childhood Care and Education Task Force that led to the establishment and growth of pre-k opportunities under Govs. Ed Rendell and Tom Corbett. Most recently under Gov. Wolf, quality pre-k saw the single largest expansion since its inception. In each instance, legislators joined Pennsylvania’s governors in making this a priority for the commonwealth.
This is not the time to halt our momentum. We must continue our commitments to early childhood in order to build entire generations capable of joining the workforce, avoiding crime, and serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Supporting further investments in prekindergarten and home-visiting programs, helps to ensure that all children have the brightest future we can provide. It’s also a commitment to the security and economic vitality of our communities and commonwealth.
Mark Schweiker is a former governor of Pennsylvania. mschweiker@strongnation.orgRetired Air Force Maj. Gen. William B. Lynch is the former adjutant general of the Pennsylvania National Guard. wlynch@missionreadiness.org
Read the op-ed here.
Centre Daily Times: LTE: A Step in the Right Direction
October 16, 2016
As a longtime advocate for early learning opportunities for our region’s children, I was very excited to learn that more than 6,000 additional children throughout the commonwealth of Pennsylvania will be enrolled in high-quality pre-K programs this fall due to increased funding in this year’s state budget.
Locally, this will allow almost 50 more children ages 3 and 4 in Centre County to attend preschool. Although more than 1,300 of the county’s eligible children remain unserved due to funding constraints, this is a step in the right direction.
I am proud of state Sen. Jake Corman, who has supported greater access to high-quality early education. I hope greater access to pre-K and Head Start is a consistent theme of our state’s budgets in the years to come.
EILEEN WISE, PORT MATILDA
The writer is president of the Nittany Kiwanis Club.
Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article108672597.html#storylink=cpy
Delaware County Daily Times: Democrats Push for Expanded Pre-k Access
October 14, 2016 by Kevin Tustin
NETHER Providence >> Democratic leaders from all levels of government convened Friday afternoon for a discussion about pre-kindergarten services in the state and country and how to make them more accessible. Their solution for expanding access? Elect more Democrats.
U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., met with state Rep. Leanne Krueger-Braneky, D-161 of Swarthmore, 9th District state Senate candidate Marty Malloy, state rep candidate in the 165th District Elaine Schaefer and state rep candidate for the 168th District Diane Cornman-Levy along with pre-K teachers and advocates on the “economic imperative” and “moral gravity” for the early education program.
“We have a lot of work to do, but I’m encouraged because you’re bringing the issue to this campaign,” said Casey to the education advocates at Helen Kate Furness Free Library in Wallingford.
According to the Pre-K for PA campaign, 77 percent of Delaware County children are eligible for publicly-funded pre-K, but there isn’t enough money from the state to give them access. Statewide, 66 percent still aren’t receiving quality Pre-K education despite a $30 million increase in state funding (to $147 million) for the current fiscal year.
Advocates claim that every $1 invested in Pre-K returns $17 back locally, there is a fight to get it funded across the aisle.
“(Republicans) totally say they’re going to fund it, they’re all behind it, and then when they get in office they go with the flow of their leadership,” said Schaefer.
“They like it until they have to vote for it, so they vote no,” Krueger added.
Krueger’s claim was backed up by Casey explaining when the Senate voted last year on his amendment to get $25 billion appropriated for Pre-K it was defeated along party lines with 52 Republican no votes trumping 45 Democratic yes votes.
“Despite that loss, I was really happy we had that vote because it put us on the record as a legislative body in the United States Senate on a big issue and a major commitment, and now we know where people stand,” Casey said.
Advocate Shawn Towey asked of the (potential) lawmakers how to get even moderate Republicans to support pre-K.
Read the full article here.
Sunbury Daily Item: Letter to the Editor: Commitment to Early Learning
October 9, 2016
The Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way has for years stressed the importance of high quality early childhood education as an essential investment in our community’s future. Children who attend are more likely to start school ready to learn and perform better throughout K-12.
I was pleased to join community leaders at Susquehanna Children’s Center a few weeks ago in celebrating the fact more than 100 eligible three- and four-year-olds are enrolled in new Pre-K Counts and Head Start classrooms in Snyder, Union and Northumberland counties this fall.
I especially want to thank state leaders like state Rep. Lynda Schlegel Culver, who is a passionate advocate for expanded access to high quality early childhood education, and state Rep. Fred Keller, who has also been a strong supporter of our work in early learning. I hope their commitment to working to increase funding for early learning will inspire other legislators and Gov. Tom Wolf to do the same. There is no better way to ensure a healthy and vibrant future for our communities.
Joanne Troutman,
President/CEO,
Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way
See the Letter to the Editor here.
Scranton Times-Tribune: Letter to the Editor: Pre-k Expansion
October 10, 2016
Editor: As we all know, a quality education in the very early years is the best gift we can give to our children to succeed in life.
The United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties has for many years been an advocate for high-quality early childhood education as an essential investment in our community’s future. Children who attend high-quality pre-K are more likely to start school ready to learn and perform on a much higher level than those without the benefit.
As the new school year progresses, we all have something to celebrate. More than 140 additional eligible 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in new Pre-K Counts and Head Start classrooms throughout Lackawanna and Wayne counties. I thank leaders like state Sen. John Blake, of Archbald, for his work to make expanded access to high quality early-childhood education a priority. I hope that his commitment in working to increase funding for early learning will inspire other legislators and Gov. Tom Wolf to do the same. Our future depends on it and it really does make a difference.
GARY DRAPEK
PRESIDENT AND CEO,
UNITED WAY OF LACKAWANNA & WAYNE COUNTIES,
SCRANTON
Read the Letter to the Editor here.
