AxisPhilly: On the outside looking in
AxisPhilly’s profile of PCCY’s Executive Director, Donna Cooper:
“The notion of providing Pre-K education has bipartisan support. Finding the money in these tight times is another matter.
PCCY is one of nine organizations behind the Pre-K for PA campaign, which advocates for investing in high quality pre-kindergarten education for every three-year-old and four-year-old in the state.
“For us it’s a key pathway out of poverty. It’s a key pathway to increasing high school graduation. It’s a key pathway to ensuring that children are more likely to have decent jobs, stay out of jail, have productive lives,” Cooper said. “So given that we have limited resources and the research says that the cheapest place to invest is early childhood, it makes a lot of sense to do so.””
Read the full story here.
The Notebook: State groups make a push for early education funding
“Ten advocacy groups across the state are making a push for more pre-K funding in Pennsylvania. This new coalition is seeking to use this year’s gubernatorial race as an opportunity to campaign for high-quality pre-K care for every family.
The coalition includes Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia (ELGP), Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
Shawn Towey, child care policy coordinator at PCCY, said polls they’ve conducted indicate bipartisan support for increased funding for higher quality and more pre-K programs. She said investing in children early benefits everyone.”
Read the full story here.
Scranton Times Tribune: Op-Ed: Close the Gap Before it Opens
Universal access to pre-kindergarten urgent matter of economic, national security
March 24, 2014
By Gen. Daniel J. O’Neill and Gen. Michael A. Dunn
As we all know, 2014 is a major election year in Pennsylvania. On the ballot will be races for the entire state House of Representatives, half of the state Senate seats and our governor’s office. As voters, we have a responsibility to help guide the election debate to those issues that we see as critical to our commonwealth’s and our country’s future.
As retired general of the United States Army, we believe our candidates for public office must focus on better preparing our youth to be citizen-ready – healthy, educated, law-abiding contributors who are able to serve their nation in uniform or in the civilian sector.
We find it deeply troubling that the U.S. Department of Defense estimates that 75 percent of young Americans – ages 17-24 – currently do not qualify for military services. Poor academic performance, a lack of physical fitness, and a history of criminal behavior are among the top cited reasons for disqualification.
Even among those who do graduate high school and want to join the military, 22 percent do not possess sufficient math, literacy and problem-solving skills to pass the military’s entrance exam.
These statistics show a looming skills gap among the next generation of Americans that will limit their ability to fill 21st century jobs, which will place the economic and military elements of our national security at risk.
This situation is echoed by yet another recent U.S. Army report, “Strong Students, Strong Futures, Strong Nation,” that cautioned:
“In the coming decade, the United States will face a significant workforce shortfall and both the civilian and military sectors may not have the skilled labor required to meet the demands of a knowledge-based economy.
“The effect on our ability to compete globally will be devastating if we do not act immediately and forcefully to reverse the impact.”
As members of the national security non-profit organization Mission: Readiness, we believe one of the most effective ways to close this skills gap is to prevent it from ever occurring in the first place by expanding investment in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.
New data from our neighboring state of New Jersey confirms that state systems of early education can be brought to scale with strong and lasting results in math and literacy.
By the time they were in fourth and fifth grade, children who participated in New Jersey’s high-quality program for two years were three-quarters of an academic year ahead in math and two-thirds of an academic year ahead in literacy compared to those who did not.
Studies of voluntary high-quality programs in states such as Michigan, Arkansas, West Virginia, New Mexico and Pennsylvania also have shown impressive gains in literacy and reductions in the number of children needing special education services or being held back in school.
These new and emerging research results are bolstered by long-term studies of participants from high-quality programs in Michigan and Illinois, which found that participants were up to 44 percent more likely to graduate from high school.
Despite this successful track record, access to high quality pre-k is limited.
Only one of six of Pennsylvania’s preschool-age kids currently benefit from existing publicly funded preschool programs.
In Lackawanna County, 53 percent, or more than 2,500 kids ages 3 and 4, do not have access to high-quality pre-k.
This must change.
This is why Mission: Readiness is supporting the Pre-K for PA Campaign – an issue education campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that affording all children the opportunity to enter school ready to succeed is the right choice and an urgent necessity.
Candidates for our public offices must realize today’s three- and four-year-olds will be of age to join the military and workforce in 2028.
Expanding access to high-quality pre-k will have a profound impact on our children’s ability to achieve their dreams and become the contributing citizens that we need them to be to ensure our future economic and national security.
Pennsylvania’s next governor and members of our General Assembly must ensure that all kids have the opportunity to “Be All That They Can Be.”
WESA: Life of Learning Forum: Investment in Pre-K Critical to Future Educational Success
“Last week, a panel of experts gathered at the Community Broadcast Center to discuss what the future of the learning/education system should look like to be as effective as possible for the region’s children. The public forum tackled a range of questions from the audience, including the state of early childhood education.
Panelist Patrick Dowd, executive director of Allies for Children, said in recent years more attention has been paid to the importance of early childhood education, but added there are still too many children who don’t have access to pre-K programs. In addition to lack of access, another panelist said there is an opportunity gap among very young children.
“We have children who come to school who have no food,” said Olga Welch, dean of the School of Education at Duquesne University. “We have children who come out of homes where parents are struggling to make a living and to provide a roof, we have children who are homeless.”
Because so many children come from so many difference backgrounds, Welch said an effort must be made to ensure safe learning environments for children. She said access to quality pre-K must be thought of as a community-wide issue.”
Read the full story here.
CBS Philly: Area Early Education Advocates Send A Message — With A Face — To Harrisburg
“Each year, the Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children holds a conference, but executive director Sharon Easterling says this is a particularly important year for the conference because of the Pennsylvania governor’s race.
“When folks are running for office they tend to listen to what constituents want. About 80 percent of people in Pennsylvania think investing
in pre-K is a good idea,” she said today.
To get that message across, her organization has launched the “PreKforPA” web site and is pushing its #IamPreK social media compaign.”
Read the full story here.
