BUDGET ARTICLES
Bipartisan Budget Agreement a Victory for Kids, $30 Million Pre-K Investment Will Serve Thousands More Young Learners
The Pre-K for PA campaign called the $30 million investment in pre-k as part of the 2017-18 state budget agreement a momentum-building moment, making significant progress towards the goal of expanding access to all children eligible for Pre-K Counts and Head Start. The investment will open access to high-quality pre-k for thousands more three- and four-year-olds across the commonwealth.
House Bill 218 Does Not Adequately Invest in Services for PA’s Youngest Citizens
As the Pennsylvania budget process gets underway today with the House of Representatives approving House Bill 218, the Pre-K for PA campaign issued a statement on the passage of a budget that does not adequately invest in Pennsylvania’s early learning continuum.
Pre-K, Early Learning Advocates Urge Bi-partisan Support of 2017-18 Investment Proposal
The Pre-K for PA campaign lauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s continued commitment to expanding access to high-quality pre-k in Pennsylvania after he announced a $75 million expansion as part of his 2017-18 budget address today.
NBC 10: PA Budget Passed After 9-Month Deadlock
Wednesday afternoon, Governor Wolf finally passed a budget for Pennsylvania, even though he says the math doesn’t add up. NBC10’s Lauren Mayk reports.
PennLive: Wolf, lawmakers must fund pre-K education in the #PaBudget: Another View
A curtain raiser to the always eagerly anticipated details in the Governor’s budget address revealed that Gov. Tom Wolf remains committed to make high-quality pre-k available to more kids.
Early Learning Advocates Urge Bi-partisan Support of 2016-17 Investment Proposal
The Pre-K for PA campaign, along with the Early Learning PA (ELPA) coalition, lauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s continued commitment to expanding access to pre-k in Pennsylvania after he announced a $120 million multi-year investment in his 2016-17 budget address today, which includes the new $30 million, six-month appropriation enacted last December.
PennLive: Gov. Tom Wolf asking for $90 million more for preschool programs
Gov. Tom Wolf plans to ask the General Assembly to invest another $60 million into state funding for preschool programs in 2016-17 on top of $30 million more that he didn’t get in this year’s unfinished budget.
York Dispatch: Wolf wants additional $60M for early education
Gov. Tom Wolf on Thursday proposed an additional $60 million in state funding for early childhood education for the 2016-17 fiscal year.
Pre-K for PA Says Pre-Kindergarten Funding is a Good Start; Urges Legislature to Return to Work
The Pre-K for PA campaign recognized today that the increased funding for high quality pre-k programs that resulted from the adopted partial-year 2015-16 budget agreement is a good start, but urged the legislature to return to Harrisburg and deliver a full budget that adequately funds pre-k. The partial-year budget currently invests $25 million in new Pre-K Counts funding and $5 million in new funding for Head Start.
PennLive: Pennsylvania’s state budget talks, at loooonnnnng last, enter home stretch
The six-month Pennsylvania state budget impasse – after months of political gridlock – is showing significant signs of breaking up.
AP: Pa. budget stalemate cost approaches critical mass
The collapse of a second agreement between Gov. Tom Wolf and top lawmakers threatens to extend the state government budget stalemate deeper into December, its sixth month. Here is the impact to date:
AP: More Pre-K Programs Closing Amid Pennsylvania Budget Battle
With budget talks dragging on in the Pennsylvania capitol, more early childhood centers certified under Pennsylvania’s state-subsidized pre-kindergarten program are closing without state aid.
Lancaster Online: State Budget Impasse: How are Pennsylvania’s Littlest Learners Being Affected?
Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program allow preschools to open spots for children from low-income families. Funding for both programs has been on hold during the state budget impasse.
Lancaster Online: Editorial: Hope for a Budget, with K-12 Funding
The “framework” budget agreement being negotiated between Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf and Republican legislative leaders includes $350 million more for basic education and $50 million more for special education.
PennLive: As Budget Framework Emerges, Preschool Advocates Fear They’ll be Squeezed Out: Analysis
Gov. Tom Wolf and legislative Republicans may be working out the fine print details of a nascent state budget framework, but advocates for early childhood education programs already fear the state’s youngest residents could get squeezed out of a final deal.
The Notebook: Pa. budget framework supports major funding boost for public schools
Sources in the Pennsylvania Capitol say that the framework reached Monday for a state budget agreement includes a $400 million increase to K-12 public education this year.
Philly.com: Possible breakthrough in Pa.’s budget stalemate?
For the first time in their five-month-old standoff, Gov. Wolf and Republican legislators indicated Monday that they had reached a tentative agreement on key pieces of the long-overdue state budget.
PennLive: Gov. Tom Wolf lauds “major commitment” for new school funding; Republicans describe different terms
The Wolf Administration claimed a major victory in its protracted negotiations for a new state budget: a large increase in state aid to schools for the current academic year.
Post-Gazette: Pennsylvania’s budget moves forward
Legislative leaders and the governor’s office said Monday that they have tentatively agreed to a framework for an end to the impasse that has delayed the Pennsylvania state budget more than four months.
AP: Budget deal near with higher sales tax, more school funding
A potential deal to break Pennsylvania’s budget stalemate in its fifth month includes a state sales tax increase, expanded school property tax cuts and hundreds of millions of new dollars for public schools, top state lawmakers said Monday.
Pre-K for PA's work is possible only through generous contributions from the 1675 Foundation, The Donley Foundation, GE Employees Community Service Fund, The Heinz Endowments, The Philadelphia Foundation, and William Penn Foundation.