CBS Philly: Area Leaders Urge Universal Pre-Kindergarten For Pennsylvania Kids
“Area business and civic leaders gathered today to endorse a new initiative to promote pre-school education for every child in Pennsylvania.
The statewide program is dubbed “Pre-K for PA: All Children Ready To Succeed.”
Jill Michal, president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and New Jersey, says high-quality pre-school programs are now available for less than 20 percent of three- and four-year-olds in Pennsylvania.”
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Lancaster Online: New coalition will push for pre-K in PA governor’s race
“The 2014 race for governor is prompting a new coalition of advocates to push for high-quality pre-kindergarten for all Pennsylvania children.
Pre-kindergarten funding in Pennsylvania currently helps fewer than 20 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds, according to the Pennsylvania Head Start Association.
“We’re going to be pushing the candidates to make really big commitments to pre-K,” said Blair Hyatt, PHSA’s executive director.”
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WESA: Pittsburgh Joins Statewide Effort to Make Quality Pre-K Available to All Families
“Quality pre-K programs can help kids later in school, both academically and socially. But many families can’t afford to send their children to pre-school, and government funding for early childhood programs has decreased in recent years.
A statewide effort was launched Thursday to ensure all three- and four-year-olds have access to quality pre-K programs. Michelle Figlar is executive director of the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children, or PAEYC. She said research has shown children who have access to strong pre-K programs do better overall in school.
“Research also shows that high quality pre-K reduced grade retention and costs related to special education. Children who participate in high-quality pre-K are more likely to graduate from high school, enroll in higher education and have increased lifetime earnings,” Figlar said.”
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The Jewish Chronicle: Statewide campaign to raise pre-K awareness kicks off at JCC
“With too few Pennsylvania children enrolled in pre-K education programs, a statewide campaign was launched Thursday to trumpet the need for such schooling.
In Pittsburgh, a press conference was held at the Jewish Community Center in Squirrel Hill for Pre-K for PA, a statewide coalition of nonprofit organizations whose goal is to bring quality pre-K education to as many Pennsylvania 3- and 4-year-olds as possible while identifying necessary funding sources.
Jewish leaders, as well as Pittsburgh Councilwoman Natalia Rudiak and Curtiss E. Porter, who represented Mayor Bill Peduto, spoke at the conference.”
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Go Lackawanna: Pitch made for more pre-k funds
“Armed with a new initiative called “Pre-K for PA,” leaders at Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, a Harrisburg lobbying organization, want to bring legislators to the table to prioritize funding for early-learning education.
More than a dozen non-profit education groups are collaborating to develop the Pre-K for PA program.
Fewer than 20 percent of the state’s 3-year-olds and 4-year-olds have access to high-quality programs, said the organization’s president and CEO Joan Benso. Through Pre-K for PA, the organization hopes to see every child have access to some kind of high-quality early-learning program.
While Luzerne, Lackawanna and Wyoming counties may not be short on preschool centers, the learning component is missing, Hildebrandt Learning Centers CEO William Grant said.”
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