Senator Camera Bartolotta and Representative Tim O’Neal Staff Member Tour The Village of FPC
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as the Workforce in Southwest PA Returns to Work
CALIFORNIA, PA: (October 7, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner Trying Together hosted a virtual classroom tour at The Village of FPC in California, PA today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. Senator Camera Bartolotta and Eric Kratz from Representative Tim O’Neal’s office participated in the tour and discussion.
“After closing in March, we reopened June 1st at 20% capacity and have are enrolled around 50%. In addition to loss in revenue and increased expenses, we are experiencing what I would call, COVID fatigue,” said Cherie Sears, President, The Village of FPC. “We have been adjusting curriculum that wasn’t designed for social distancing, and the entire playbook has been rewritten 8 times since June 1st.”
“Child care staff put ourselves at risk everyday for very little compensation. Without child care, many other frontline workers would not be able to go to work, and we get no recognition for being front line workers ourselves.” Sears offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“Child care policies and protocols have changed significantly and they are very costly,” said Sears. “Centers like The Village must now have additional staff to meet cars outside as parents are not able to bring children into the center. In addition to cleaning supplies and PPE, each child must now have their own materials.”
“Child care, an industry with professionals that barely make a livable wage, holds the weight of our economic recovery. And without additional financial support that industry will collapse under that weight, along with the workforce and businesses that rely on them,” said Shalonda Spencer, Director of Government Affairs and Policy, Trying Together.
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
The Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns represent thousands of early learning providers and supporters across Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.startstrongpa.org and www.prekforpa.org.
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Senator Anthony Williams and Representative Joanna McClinton Tour KenCrest West Early Learning Center
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as the Workforce in Southeast PA Returns to Work
PHILADELPHIA, PA: (October 6, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner First Up hosted a virtual classroom tour at KenCrest West Early Learning Center in Philadelphia today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. Senator Anthony Williams and Representative Joanna McClinton both participated in the tour and discussion.
“KenCrest has been in operation for over 115 years, providing early education for over 50 years. We operate STAR 3 and 4 quality level centers serving families in seven Philadelphia neighborhoods.” Marian Baldini, President and CEO, KenCrest. “Our situation is significantly challenging because we are operating at 75% enrollment in our infant and toddler classrooms, 60% in our Pre-K Counts and Head Start classrooms and our school age enrollment has been reduced by 60%.”
“In addition, KenCrest has many new protocols and practices based on what we call the “three M’s” – Managing the number of contacts; Minimizing contact intensity and Maximizing mitigation.” Melanie Brennan, Executive Director of Early Learning, KenCrest. “These new protocols have exponentially increased our costs. As one example, we have now hired “safety ambassadors” who spend the entire day cleaning classrooms, materials, playgrounds, bathrooms, etc.”
Baldini and Brennan offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery. The child care industry in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania immediately needs substantially more funding so that as the state reopens, they can stay open and our workforce can return to work.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“The financial impact, not only for PA child care providers but for the businesses that employ the families those child care providers serve will certainly result in more closures if additional funds do not materialize quickly. With this very real risk that providers across Pennsylvania will close, our state will not have the workforce to be able to effectively recover from this pandemic,” said Carol Austin, Executive Director of First Up, who hosted the tour.
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
The Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns represent thousands of early learning providers and supporters across Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.startstrongpa.org and www.prekforpa.org.
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House Majority Whip Donna Oberlander and Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh Tour Keystone Smiles Child Learning Center
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as Clarion County Workforce Returns to Work
KNOX, PA: (October 6, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children hosted a virtual classroom tour at Keystone Smiles Child Learning Center in Knox, PA today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. House Majority Whip Donna Oberlander and Clarion County District Attorney, Drew Welsh both participated in the tour and discussion.
“Keystone Smiles has been in operation since 1994. Four years ago, we reached a STAR 4, the highest level of quality, and now our community is at risk of losing those services. We are in an alarming situation because we are operating at 50% enrollment and uncertain how long we will be able to sustain, based on our current revenue stream,” said Joyce Fosdick, Executive Director, Keystone Smiles Community Learning Center.
“In order to meet CDC guidelines, we are not only operating with less revenue, but we have increased expenses. New protocols such as increased cleaning and social distancing have exponentially increased our costs. There is no doubt that we need more funding to help us get through this,” said Monica Weeter, Keystone Smiles Child Care Director.
Fosdick and Weeter offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery. The child care industry in Clarion County and across Pennsylvania immediately needs substantially more funding so that as the state reopens, they can stay open and our workforce can return to work.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“The crisis is real,” said Kimberly Early, Public Policy and Advocacy Director, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, who hosted the tour. “And this crisis not only impacts the child care industry but the families that need child care to return to work and the businesses that need the workforce in order to reopen fully. Without child care, there is no economic recovery.”
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
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House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody Tours
Riverview Children’s Center
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as the Workforce in Southwest PA Returns to Work
VERONA, PA: (October 6, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner Trying Together hosted a virtual classroom tour at Riverview Children’s Center in Verona, PA today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody participated in the tour and discussion.
“Our future situation is very tenuous. The center’s enrollment prior to the pandemic was 150 children. After closing in March, we reopened June 15th with only 50 children and have now enrolled around 100. In addition to loss in revenue and increased expenses, we are experiencing significant staffing challenges,” said Betty Lisowski, Executive Director, Riverview Children’s Center. “Being open during COVID and following strict CDC guidance to keep all as safe as possible is expensive, exhausting, and uncertain. We have been flexible to the point of breaking.”
Lisowski offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery. The child care industry in southwest PA and across Pennsylvania immediately needs substantially more funding so that as the state reopens, they can stay open and our workforce can return to work.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“Without child care, economic recovery is impossible” said Cara Ciminillo, Executive Director, Trying Together, who hosted the tour. “Prior to the pandemic, 70% of PA children under the age of six had all adults in their household in the workforce. Those adults need child care to return to work.”
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
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Hershey school proposes a PA network of six free early learning childhood centers with $350 million
By Bob Fernandez October 1, 2020
The Milton S. Hershey School for poor children, which has faced criticism over how few students it helps despite its riches, has proposed to spend $350 million on six centers throughout Pennsylvania to offer free infant and early childhood services to 900 kids.
The Early Childhood Resource Centers — if approved by a Dauphin County court — would be the first time the privately funded charitable school, with assets around $15 billion and 2,100 students, has offered to help impoverished children outside of its residential campus in rural Hershey.
The Hershey School controls the highly profitable Hershey Co. candy giant, which finances it with a torrent of stock dividends.
The plan requires the approval of Dauphin County Orphans’ Court to determine whether the project should be financed and is consistent with the Hershey School’s mission, which is guided by Milton and Catherine Hershey’s 1909 deed creating an orphanage and trade school.
In court papers on Wednesday, the charity’s attorneys said “circumstances demonstrate the impracticability” of using all of its cash for the residential campus, which has more than 170 group homes as well as schools for grades K-12.
“This is a major step forward,” Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro said Wednesday. “It demonstrates a new approach and a new direction for Hershey.”
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“Nine-hundred kids a year is a lot of kids for one entity to step forward and fund,” said Donna Cooper, executive director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth, a child advocacy group. But given the scale of the unmet needs in Pennsylvania, she said, “my real question is: Can they do more?”
Experts say early childhood programs are the most effective at building children’s social skills, improving educational outcomes, and breaking the cycle of poverty. In Pennsylvania, limited state funding means that most kids who need early childhood education don’t get it. In 2019, 64% of 4-year-old children in the state were not enrolled in publicly funded pre-K or Head Start programs, according to the National Institute for Early Education Research.
“I just have to believe that given the enormity of the Hershey corporate entity, there’s the opportunity to do much more, and there’s certainly much more need,” Cooper said.
Read the full article here.
Morning Call: LTE: Early education still a priority
Xiomara Rosado
SEP 10, 2020
My son started preschool this week. I know I’m not alone with all of my questions and anxieties, as I send him each day. This school year will be unforgettable for us for many reasons, but we cannot lose sight of how irreplaceable this year of a high-quality early education is for a child’s development.
The pandemic is challenging our schools and forcing them to make hard decisions. We cannot also let it hurt our children’s access to these valuable programs. A high-quality, pre-K education is proven to prepare children for success in kindergarten — it’s why I worked so hard to get my son into a Pre-K Counts program and why I send him to school each day. With COVID-19 looming over preschools and child care centers, as a parent, I want to know if the state is doing everything they can to ensure our kids will still have access to a high quality pre-K education. Now more than ever, we need to focus on our children’s education and ensure they have the foundation necessary to make them successful. We need to invest, more, not less, and keep moving forward — our future is dependent on it.
To read this full letter to the editor, click here to the article.
