BUDGET
Pre-K for PA applauds the Shapiro Administration’s continued commitment to address the historic teacher staffing shortage in the Pre-K Counts program. The 2025-26 budget proposal includes $15 million in new state funding to help stabilize early learning providers by boosting per child rates to help combat inflationary pressures and staffing shortages caused by low wages.
Opportunities for teachers to earn more in the K-12 system and other sectors have challenged Pre-K Counts providers to keep classrooms open and operate at full capacity. This investment is a critical next step in preserving state funded pre-k programs for our commonwealth’s youngest learners.
However, we are disappointed that the Governor’s budget proposal fails to offer support for the commonwealth’s Head Start Supplemental programs that are facing similar staffing challenges. Pre-K for PA urges lawmakers to include increased funding in the final state budget to stabilize the Head Start workforce.
Mitigating teacher shortages in Pennsylvania’s publicly funded pre-k programs is a necessary first step in ensuring that all children have access to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Currently, 78,000 three- and four-year-olds in the commonwealth are eligible but do not have access to high-quality pre-k programs.
PA Partnerships for Children Pre-K Data
This interactive review at the Pennsylvania House, Senate and school district levels includes local data on children served, unmet need, the number of high-quality providers, current capacity and much more. Not sure where your legislative districts or school district are on the maps? No problem. Use the convenient search functionality on each map to look up your legislators or school district.
The link of the sources and methodology: 2024-25 Pre-K for PA Data Sources and Methodology
PennLive: OpEd: Pre-K is Progress We Can’t Afford to Lose
For more than two decades, Pennsylvania has been investing in our youngest learners.
Year after year, budget after budget, across party lines and administrations, we’ve taken meaningful steps forward in growing access to Head Start and Pre-K Counts to help more children thrive in their earliest years and setting the stage for future success.
