In Philadelphia, Gov. Tom Wolf Urges Better Funding For Early Education Across Pennsylvania
By Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Gov. Tom Wolf was in Philadelphia today, discussing the future of education at a conference of the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC).
A friendly crowd greeted the governor, who earlier this month proposed $2 billion in additional funding for early education in Pennsylvania over the next four years.
“There is not a better investment that we can make as a commonwealth that invests in early childhood education,” he said at the Pennsylvania Convention Center meeting. “If we get that right, it really works — right?”
The results, says Wolf, are better students and higher graduation rates.
The governor also said he’s had preliminary talks about his proposal with state lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
While that process plays out, the childhood educators will be holding a fundraiser called “Pennies for Pre-K.”
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Wolf, advocates pushing for big ticket high-quality preschool in Pa.
Early childhood advocates are asking families across Pennsylvania to scrounge through their couch cushions on behalf of high-quality preschool programs.
Advocates hope Pennies 4 Pre-K, a new initiative by advocacy group Pre-K for PA, will draw attention to a much larger pot of funding that could be headed their way: $120 million in Governor Tom Wolf’s proposed education budget.
Appearing at the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) this week, Governor Wolf promoted his budget as a longterm investment. “Children who participate in high-quality preschool education perform better in school, they graduate in higher rates,” said Wolf. “If all those things happen, our society works better and so does our economy.”
As the crowd of educators dropped pennies into colorful plastic buckets, Wolf anticipated some of the criticism already brewing in the legislature against his expansive education budget. “We’re taking precious, scarce public dollars and we’re looking for priorities that are going to make our commonwealth better,” said Wolf.
High-quality and high cost
Wolf’s budget calls for an additional 14,000 new, high-quality pre-kindergarten seats through the Head Start and Pre-K Counts programs for this fall. The $120 million to fund these seats is “down payment,” increasing enrollment in state-funded programs by 75 percent. Only 7.5 percent of Pennsylvania children under five are currently enrolled in a high-quality preschool, and tuition for these programs can run over $10,000 a year without government subsidy.
Executive Director of DVAEYC Sharon Easterling said the pennies were symbolic. “We hope to be able to raise enough money to fund a couple of slots. We want the legislature to do the rest.”
Wolf faces an uphill battle in approving his ambitious education budget through a legislature controlled by Republicans, many of whom have criticized his spending.
Politically, pre-K can garner bipartisan support but in recent years greater awareness to the uneven outcomes of some programs has undermined some of this support, according to Ron Haskins, Brookings Institute fellow and co-director of the Center on Children and Families.
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Early Childhood Educators Present Pennies for Pre-K to Governor Wolf at Annual DVAEYC Conference
PHILADELPHIA (March 20, 2015)– Gov. Tom Wolf was presented with “Pennies for Pre-K” today at the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) annual conference. The Governor spoke to the group of more than 1,500 early educators about the importance of a high-quality preschool education and outlined his plan for expanded access in Pennsylvania.
“Early education programs provide the foundation children need to enter school ready to learn. My plan increases enrollment in early childhood education by 75 percent,” said Gov. Tom Wolf. “I’m honored to be among the many educators, administrators and parents here at the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children that share my commitment to make the necessary investments in our children’s futures.”
DVAEYC is a founding partner of Pre-K for PA, a non-partisan statewide issue campaign formed to ensure that every 3- and 4-year-old in the commonwealth will have access to high-quality pre-kindergarten by 2018.
DVAEYC Executive Director, Sharon Easterling, kicked-off a statewide Pre-K for PA “Pennies for Pre-K” initiative that highlights the importance of providing adequate funding for early childhood education and showcases support for the $120 million increase in preschool funding outlined by Gov. Wolf in his 2015-16 state budget proposal. Easterling called on the more than 1,500 early educators to engage their neighbors and urge their legislators to support early learning.
“Access to early learning is key to a child’s early development and their success throughout school and future earnings,” said Sharon Easterling. “The investment proposed by Governor Wolf goes a long way toward our goal of providing the opportunity to learn to all 3- and 4-year-olds. Now, early educators, community leaders, neighbors and families must rally together and send a message to leaders in Harrisburg that we need more ‘Pennies for Pre-K!’”
Earlier this month, Gov. Wolf presented his 2015-2016 budget, which proposed substantial increases to state investments in high-quality pre-kindergarten and child care – investments that will help Pennsylvania make up lost ground and increase access to high-quality early learning programs for more children. Gov. Wolf’s proposed budget includes:
- A $120 million increase in early childhood education with $100 million going to Pre-K Counts and $20 million going to the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. Both programs target low-income and high-risk children.
- The increased funding would allow for the enrollment of more than 14,000 additional children (approximately a one-third increase).
- The increased funding would also create 3,400 new jobs in Pennsylvania.
The annual DVAEYC Conference is the premiere event for the early education community in the Delaware Valley. The DVAEYC 2015 “Early Learning: What’s Play Got to Do with It?” brings together more than 1,500 early educators, nationally recognized presenters, innovative exhibitors, and public officials for two days of exciting idea-sharing and discussion of one of the most crucial elements of early childhood — the importance of PLAY.
Conference attendees and educators across the state are being encouraged to collect pennies for pre-k and talk to parents and community members about the educational, emotional and developmental value of early learning. Children will decorate collection containers, gather pennies, and participate in counting activities. All the pennies collected will be delivered to state officials in Harrisburg this spring.
Despite the proven benefits of high-quality early learning, too few Pennsylvania children have access to these programs. Only about 1 in 6 of PA’s 3- and 4-year olds is enrolled in publicly funded, high-quality pre-k, a statistic that has remained unchanged in recent years due to the sluggish state investments.
The Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) champions high-quality early care and education for all young children in southeastern PA. The Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children (DVAEYC) is a non-profit, member organization working on behalf of the needs, rights and well-being primarily of children aged birth through eight and their families. DVAEYC offers professional development opportunities for early childhood educators and professionals and advocates to improve quality compensation and affordability in the early care and education system. www.dvaeyc.org
Pre-K for PA was launched in 2014 with the vision that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. This statewide coalition includes: Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children; Economy League of Greater Philadelphia; Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; Mission: Readiness; Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children; Pennsylvania Head Start Association; Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children; Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children; Public Citizens for Children and Youth; and United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. www.prekforpa.org ###
Sen. Alloway is lobbied to spend more on pre-k education
Alloway: Budget that doubles funding ‘not in the realm’ of the possible
By Jim Hook
jhook@publicopinionnews.com @JimHookPO on Twitter
CHAMBERSBURG >> An anti-crime group is asking Sen. Richard Alloway and other Pennsylvania legislators to spend more taxpayer money on pre-school education.
The bottom line for Fight Crime: Invest in Kids — quality early childhood education reduces crime, lowers prison costs and saves taxpayers’ dollars. The nonprofit arranged a meeting Monday at the St. Paul’s Children’s Center among Alloway, pre-school educators and local law enforcement officials.
Alloway, R-Chambersburg, on Monday appeared receptive, but did not commit to the cause.
Gov. Tom Wolf’s budget proposes increased spending on pre-k programs. The Democrat’s budget faces an uphill battle in the Republican controlled Senate and House.
Children who did not go to a quality preschool are more likely in later life to get trouble with the law than children who attended pre-k, according to a variety of studies.
“They get behind in second or third grade,” Chambersburg Police Chief David Arnold said. “It’s like a tsunami. They never get caught up. As a government, you put the emphasis on the front end rather than pay at the back end.”
“By third grade they’re already feeling like a failure,” said Gladys Leon, director of early childhood development at Chambersburg Area School District.
They don’t have a mentor showing them that they can succeed with an education, and they start caving to peer pressure, she said.
Investing in pre-school children encourages them to stay in school and participate in other school activities and sports, Franklin County Sheriff Dane Anthony said. The more they participate, the more successful they are in life.
“When you engage that child (in pre-kindergarten) you get that child’s parent involved, and you can make tremendous changes in communities,” said Kerry Fair, family engagement manager for Franklin County Head Start Program Inc.
Alloway said told the panel that he was familiar with the impacts of pre-k education, and wanted to know, “Where’s the breakdown?”
Few families have access to quality pre-k education in Pennsylvania and especially Franklin County, according to Bruce Clash, Pennsylvania director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. Seventy percent of Pennsylvania children do not have access while 87 percent in Franklin County do not.
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