Tribune-Live: Invest in Pre-K
Letter from Michelle Figlar, executive director of the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children (PAEYC):
“In response to the editorial “Universal pre-K? It would be a huge waste that would dwarf Head Start’s failure” : In my work with the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children, I see every day the benefits of high-quality preschool.
The evidence is overwhelming in proving that investing in high-quality pre-K is a smart choice. At-risk children who experience high-quality pre-K are less likely to commit crimes later in life. Society gains more productive citizens, with reduced reliance on social services and higher lifetime earnings.”
Read the full letter here.
Carlisle Sentinel: Our View: Gets kids learning while they are young
“We wholeheartedly support quality pre-kindergarten programs.
Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed $29.4 billion 2014-15 budget includes an increase in funding for early education of about $10.8 million, a 3 percent increase over the previous year. The bulk of the increase — $10 million — would go toward the Pre-K Counts program to enroll 1,670 more students.
We want to see improvement in pre-kindergarten programs, and more children involved in them. It’s much easier to start out youngsters on the right track than to get them there later in life.”
Read the full editorial here.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Pittsburgh’s pre-K promise
“Because of the proven success of quality pre-K programs, I am happy to stand with the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children and other advocacy organizations across the state to support the Pre-K for PA Campaign. It is time that we raise the awareness of those in or running for office that it makes sense to invest in young children.
Gov. Tom Corbett is asking the state Legislature to provide $10 million more for pre-K programs in Pennsylvania this year. There is no guarantee our state legislators will go for it, but, even if they do, it is not enough. Over the last three years, the Legislature has gutted so-called accountability grants to local school districts, 75 percent of which went for early childhood programs. To close its widening budget gap, Pittsburgh Public Schools has increased monthly pre-K tuition for middle-class families.
We need to take our city’s destiny into our own hands. That’s why I propose a Pittsburgh Pre-K Promise to ensure that people in the middle who can neither afford full pre-K tuition nor qualify for supplemental programs can get their children started on the right foot.”
Read the full story here.
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Report: County lags others in pre-k access
“Barely a third of children ages 3 and 4 in Luzerne County are enrolled in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, according to a new report, leaving about 4,500 children without access to such programs.
Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children issued the report, titled “A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-k in PA,” touting the value of high quality pre school programs, a recurring theme with the advocacy group.
The report contends “a growing body of research shows that gains made by 4-year-olds in publicly supported pre-K programs lead to improved early literacy language and math skills entering kindergarten, reduced special-education placement through second grade, reduced grade repetition through eighth grade, and increased likelihood of high school graduation and college enrollment.””
Read the full story here.
Smart Talk from WTIF: “Kids for Cash” documentary and early education
“Later we’ll discuss another issue important to parents: early childhood education. Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children President and CEO Joan Benso and Fight Crime: Invest in Kids Pennsylvania State Director Bruce Clash will join us to discuss the new “Pre-K for PA” campaign and what the research says about early learning.
A new PPC report finds that 70 percent of the state’s 3 and 4 year old children don’t have access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs. The numbers for some midstate counties are even higher.
Governor Corbett has proposed an 11.5 percent increase in “Pre-K Counts” funding in next year’s budget. We’ll ask our guests how much progress that investment would make toward the campaign’s goal of ensuring quality Pre-K access for all children.”
Listen to the full program here.
