WITF: Coalition seeks pre-kindergarten for all PA kids
“A new statewide coalition has formed to advocate for greater access to pre-kindergarten.
The “Pre-K for PA” campaign says children who participate in high-quality early learning programs are 44 percent more likely to graduate high school.
York Police Chief Wes Kahley is backing the campaign. He says today’s dropouts are far too often tomorrow’s criminals.
“High school drop outs are 3.5 times more likely than high school graduates to be arrested and 8 times more likely to be incarcerated,” he explains. “In fact, throughout the country, 68 percent of state prison inmates have not received a high school diploma.””
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Philadelphia Inquirer: Groups form coalition to push for early education
“Ten education advocacy groups have formed a coalition to push for more funds for early education in Pennsylvania, which currently helps less than 20 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds access high-quality programs, according to Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC).
The coalition wants to “elevate the discussion about high-quality pre-K and how to make it more accessible to kids,” said Mike Race, a PPC spokesman.
In the spring, it plans to release a report on models for pre-K funding that have been successful in other states, he said.”
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Pittsburgh Post Gazette: Coalition pushes state for more pre-school funding
“In a state where many children do not have access to quality pre-kindergarten programs, a statewide campaign is aimed at changing that.
The Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children today announced the campaign called PreK for PA at a news conference at the Jewish Community Center, which offers a preschool program in Squirrel Hill. Announcements also were made by partners throughout the state.
The campaign plans to engage business and civic leaders, educators and parents to “create the public will” for the state to provide resources “so that every parent can enroll their child in affordable, high-quality preK,” according to the news release.”
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WHYY: Statewide coalition unveils ‘Pre-K for PA’ campaign
“In 2014, the Pre-K for PA broad-based coalition of organizations from across the state plans to campaign heavily in support of providing access to high-quality pre-kindergarten for all of Pennsylvania’s three- and four-year-old children.
Those efforts kicked off Thursday at a launch event at Karabots Pediatric Care Center in West Philadelphia.
It generated enthusiastic support from a wide range of stakeholders including educators, law-enforcement representatives, healthcare providers, parents, children and non-profit organizations.”
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Sunbury Daily Item: Pennsylvania Head Start Programs Embrace New Campaign
“The Pennsylvania Head Start Association is part of the coalition kicking off the Pre K for PA Campaign.
Head Start programs provide high quality Pre K to over 31,000 children and their families in Pennsylvania. Every year Head Start programs have to turn away thousands of families and their deserving children. Some programs have waiting lists of over 500 children. Every day Head Start programs see the need for substantial increases in funding for Pre K in Pennsylvania.”
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