BUDGET
“Pre-K for PA applauds the Administration’s 2024-25 state budget proposal that offers progress for a system struggling with historic teacher staffing shortages exacerbated by wage growth in other sectors. For the state’s publicly-funded pre-k programs, the nearly $33 million in new state funding for Pre-K Counts ($30M) and Head Start Supplemental Assistance ($2.7M) for rate increases will provide much-needed aid to pre-kindergarten providers to combat inflationary pressures and unrelenting staffing shortages.
“Inadequate wages across the early care and education sector are causing pre-k classrooms to close throughout the commonwealth. Pre-k teachers earn roughly half of their (K-5) counterparts in public schools and face the tough choice of staying in their chosen profession as wages increase across other sectors. This investment is a critical first step in closing this gap and ensuring adequate staffing levels to operate state funded pre-k programs at current-funded capacity.
“Currently, 87,000 three-and four-year-olds in Pennsylvania are eligible but do not have access to publicly-funded pre-k programs. Additional investment will be needed in future years to further mitigate teacher shortages in this competitive economy and ensure greater access to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our preschool learners.”
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: 2023-24 Pre-K for PA Data Sources and Methodology
Shapiro Budget Offers Progress
Early Education Advocates Warn Historic Early Childhood Staffing Shortages will Persist HARRISBURG, PA (February 6, 2024)–Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young...