Scranton Times: Editorial: Expand Pre-k for More Kids
By: Editorial Board 6/14/16
For politicians, early childhood education is a case of a narrow window and a far horizon. In Pennsylvania, state legislators are too focused on that horizon.
Abundant research on education and brain development shows that there is a relatively narrow window, between ages 3 and 5, in which to best establish a solid educational foundation in most kids — especially regarding language.
Yet in Pennsylvania, only one in six of Pennsylvania’s 300,000 3- and 4-year-olds are enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs.
According to the National Institute for Early Education Research, in 2015 Pennsylvania ranked 15th nationally in pre-K access for 3-year-olds, down from 11th in 2010, and 30th in access for 4-year-olds, down from 24th five years earlier.
Over the period, the state has fallen behind all of the other states in the region in making early education accessible. The institute said 26 percent of Pennsylvania 4-year-olds had access in 2015, compared with New York, 54 percent; New Jersey, 35 percent; Maryland, 42 percent, and West Virginia, 94 percent.
A big part of the problem is that far horizon. Politicians often are reluctant to dedicate state funds to early childhood education because the results are not instantaneous. Unlike a rebuilt highway or bridge, the results are not immediately marketable and, therefore, not politically marketable. Results of increasing pre-K access don’t show up until the kids’ academic performance is assessed much later in their school careers.
Those lawmakers should depend on existing research, though, showing that kids who have the benefit of high-quality pre-K programs are less likely to drop out of school and far more likely to graduate and attend college. They also have been shown to have fewer behavioral problems later in their school years, further improving their chances of success.
According to the early-education advocacy group Pre-K for PA, 176,000 of the 300,000 3- and 4-year-olds statewide live in families with incomes below 300 percent of the poverty line — gross income of $72,750 for a family of four. Of those children, 121,000 do not have access to publicly funded, high-quality pre-K programs. Of 4,775 children of that age group in Lackawanna County, 75 percent live in families earning less than 300 percent of the poverty line, and 1,775 don’t have access to pre-K programs. Elsewhere in the region: Luzerne County, 3,517; Wayne County, 163; Susquehanna County, 223; and Wyoming County, 341.
Read the full editorial here.
WBRE: Business, Military Leaders Warn of Skills Gap in Workforce
By Crystal Canmore 6/14/2016
WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) – The Innovation Center is Wilkes-Barre has played a role in providing jobs in the science, technology, engineering and math fields – known more commonly as “STEM.” As these jobs become more significant in the nation’s workforce…Employers face a glaring problem.
“If you take a look at the students today, they are not necessarily well equipped to get into a STEM type of package,” said Wico van Genderen, the president and CEO of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry.
That has led to a “skills gap” in the workforce in Pennsylvania. Tuesday, business and military leaders released details of a new report that shows nearly two thirds of eighth graders in Pennsylvania aren’t proficient in math and science. That deficiency is hurting employers looking for skilled workers coming out of college and vocational schools. Leaders say closing this gap starts early. They are calling for more investment in pre-K programs.
“If you look at it from a business perspective, the kids are the future of this country and we need to make sure we make that investment in our childhood education,” said van Genderen.
The secretary of the Pennsylvania’s Department of Labor and Industry says she’s working hard to close the skills gap.
Read the full article and watch the video here.
Times-Leader: Early education key to developing skilled workforce, strong military
By Bill O’Boyle June 14, 2016
WILKES-BARRE — Education, particularly early childhood education, can be one of the best workforce development tools in Pennsylvania’s toolbox, Labor & Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino said Tuesday.
Manderino joined Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry officials and military leaders to discuss a new ReadyNation/Mission: Readiness report titled: “STEM and Early Childhood – When Skills Take Root.”
The officials warned of a “workforce skills gap” in STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — skills affecting the pool of qualified workers needed today and into the future.
Manderino, Steve Doster (Pennsylvania State Director of Mission: Readiness), Wico van Genderen (Chamber president/CEO), retired Army Major General Joe Perugino, of Kingston, and retired Navy Rear Admiral Tom Wilson addressed a small group gathered at the Chamber’s Innovation Center on South Main Street about the need for additional funding for pre-K and Head Start funding.
The group wants the state budget for early education increased by $90 million to about $256 million — funding, they said, is necessary for a successful workforce development strategy to accommodate 21st century business and military workforce needs.
Citing the Read Nation/Mission: Readiness report, Manderino said, “This report shows the clear impact early childhood education can have on our STEM jobs gap. I want to thank Mission: Readiness and ReadyNation for their work in this clear and comprehensive report showing not just the virtues of early childhood learning, but the necessity of it.”
Both Manderino and Gov. Tom Wolf support an increase in funding for PA early childhood education programs.
Data shows a shortage of STEM workers is looming: nearly two-thirds of Pennsylvania eighth graders are not proficient in math and science, and more than a quarter of students entering the PA State System of Higher Education require remedial education in math and English.
Business and military leaders in Pennsylvania are calling on policymakers to invest more in high-quality early education where STEM skills take root.
According to information provided at Tuesday’s news conference, of the 6,765 children ages 3 and 4 living in Luzerne County, 4,862 live in families below the poverty level and 3,517 of those children do not have access to publicly funded, high quality pre-K education.
Statistics show high quality pre-K programs reduce grade repetition, increase graduation rates, reduce special education placements, decrease crime and incarceration, create a stronger economy and preserve taxpayers dollars.
Van Genderen said STEM-based jobs like computer science and healthcare are expected to grow by 20 percent to 37 percent in coming years.
“They are driving the economy and yet, more than half of Pennsylvania’s employers have reported trouble finding people with adequate skills, training, or education — especially in technical and skilled job openings,” van Genderen said.
Perugino cautioned the U.S. tech-focused military faces similar challenges.
“It is, therefore, troubling to know that inadequate education is a major factor that precludes 72 percent of Pennsylvania’s 17-24 year-olds from enlisting in the military,” Perugino said.
Read the full article here.
Citizens’ Voice: Event rallies support for pre-K funding
By Denise Allabaugh June 14, 2016
WILKES-BARRE — Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Kathy Manderino says more funding is needed to support early childhood education.
Manderino said expanded early childhood education can ensure people gain needed job skills for the 21st century.
She joined military leaders and officials from the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce at a press conference today at the Innovation Center on South Main Street. The event aimed to show support for Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal to increase funding for expanded access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs.
U.S. Navy Rear Admiral (Ret.) Thomas Wilson, who represents Misson: Readiness, said he is urging lawmakers to include a $90 million expansion proposal for high-quality pre-kindergarten in the 2016-2017 budget.
That would allow 7,400 more Pennsylvania children to receive early childhood education and 6,200 would receive pre-kindergarten for a full year instead of half a year, he said.
Wolf has proposed an increase of $60 million in the 2016-2017 budget for early childhood education, but negotiations are still ongoing in Harrisburg, Manderino said.
Another $30 million was approved in the 2015-2016 budget for the first six months of the year for pre-kindergarten programs throughout the state.
Officials highlighted a new ReadyNation/Mission: Readiness report that details how high-quality pre-kindergarten is important to developing skills in science, engineering, technology and math.
According to the report, 3,517 children in Luzerne County and 1,775 children in Lackawanna County are living in poverty and do not have access to publicly funded high-quality pre-kindergarten. That means 72 percent of eligible children ages 3 and 4 in Luzerne County and 50 percent in Lackawanna County do not have access.
As a result, Manderino said a gap in skills in science, engineering, technology and math could have a serious impact on the economy in years to come.
She said she has talked to employers and manufacturing industry representatives throughout the state who are looking at significant numbers of retirements of employees over age 50. She said they worry about the talent recruitment pool available to replace those workers.
She cited studies that show early childhood education is important in terms of graduation rates, crime rates and ultimately attaining “jobs that pay.”
“Those early pre-K years are the most formative years of a child’s life,” she said. “It’s clear that early learning could have a tremendous impact on Pennsylvania’s workforce.”
Mission: Readiness formed in response to data from the Department of Defense indicating that 72 percent of young Pennsylvanians between the ages of 17 and 24 can’t join the military because they either lack proper education, are physically unfit or have criminal records.
“Like business leaders, we are concerned about recruiting talent and skills we need to ensure our national defense,” said Major General (Ret.) Joseph Perugino of the U.S. Army, former commander of the 28th Infrantry Division and a representative of Mission; Readiness.
Wico van Genderen, CEO of the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber, said the chamber is pleased to partner with Mission: Readiness, a non-partisan national security organization made up of more than 600 retired admirals, generals and other military leaders calling for investments in America’s children.
“Early learning has an important role in assuring that we have the bright, skilled workforce that we need in the 21st Century,” van Genderen said. “We know that careers in science, technology, engineering and math-related fields will be a major driving force in our economy.”
Careers in these fields are expected to grow exponentially and he said the Innovation Center has become a hub for technology companies. The center and Wilkes Enterprise Center — in the Luzerne Bank building on Public Square, house 36 start-up companies — employing more than 200 people, he said.
“Companies like the ones found in the building and across the street need employees with strong-grounded STEM backgrounds,” van Genderen.
Read the full article here.
Pennsylvanians to Legislature: Fund Pre-k
Hundreds sign letters to the legislature calling for $90 million investment to expand pre-k to thousands of at-risk kids across PA
Harrisburg, PA (June 13, 2016) – Hundreds of Pennsylvanians are waging a campaign to ensure pre-k is a top priority at the 2016-17 budget-negotiating table. The letters from military leaders, philanthropic groups, CEOs and citizens urge the Pennsylvania legislature and the governor to expand access to thousands of at-risk kids in the final 2016-17 budget.
In three separate letters to leadership offices of the Pennsylvania legislature, signers from the United Way of Pennsylvania, Mission: Readiness and supporting organizations of the Pre-K for PA campaign, urged leaders in Harrisburg to cement bi-partisan consensus around a multi-year goal for growing access to high-quality pre-k for all of the income eligible children and begin looking at pre-k affordability issues regarding middle class families. Specifically, they called for $90 million in additional funding as part of the 2016-17 final state budget. A similar letter signed by Pre-K for PA Executive Leadership Council members landed in Harrisburg last week.
“We need the commonwealth to step up its efforts to fund high-quality pre-k so we can reach those children who are missing out, particularly those at risk of academic failure,” said Kristen Rotz, President of United Way of Pennsylvania in the letter. “On behalf of the United Way of Pennsylvania and our local United Ways across Pennsylvania, we support the Pre-K for PA campaign’s request to increase state pre-k funding by $90 million for fiscal 2016-17 and urge lawmakers to make this a clear priority in the coming budget deliberations.”
This proposal builds on the $30 million in new funding already enacted for the second half of the current school year. If realized, $120 million in additional funding over two years for high-quality pre-k will serve an additional 14,000 3- and 4-year-olds.
“For years, the military has provided high-quality early learning programs for all active-duty service personnel,” said Steve Doster, Pennsylvania State Director, Mission: Readiness – Military Leaders for Kids. “Pennsylvania should take the military’s lead and continue to prioritize greater access to pre-k.”
Across Pennsylvania, there are more than 175,000 3- and 4-year-olds who are at-risk because they are in lower income households – 70 percent of these at-risk young learners – more than 120,000 children statewide – had no access to publicly funded pre-k last year. Full text of all letters and lists of signers can be found at www.prekforpa.org/dearlawmaker.
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Its vision is that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. For more information visit www.prekforpa.org.
Scranton Times: Advocates Urge More Money for Pre-k
BY BORYS KRAWCZENIUK / PUBLISHED: JUNE 9, 2016
The last 15 years produced far more quality pre-kindergarten schools in Lackawanna County, but the families of hundreds of children who need them most still can’t afford them, advocates for more state pre-schools said Wednesday.
In a meeting with the The Times-Tribune editorial board, the advocates proposed a $90 million increase in funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program for the fiscal year that starts July 1.
Begun under Gov. Ed Rendell in 2007, the state’s Pre-K Counts program funds schools that teach 3- and 4-year-olds. Unlike Oklahoma, which almost entirely funds pre-kindergarten education, Pennsylvania only pays for about 30 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds to attend pre-schools, said Bruce Clash, state director of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. Fight Crime represents about 175 police chiefs, county sheriffs and district attorneys across the state who believe more early-childhood education will reduce crime and cost society less in the long run.
Pre-K funding remains the subject of budget negotiations in Harrisburg between the Republican-controlled state General Assembly and Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf.
Mr. Clash portrayed the need for universal pre-kindergarten partly as a national security matter. Almost three-quarters of children between 18 and 24 years old can’t join the military because they either don’t have a high school diploma, have a criminal record or can’t meet the physical fitness requirements, he said.
“But we know that pre-K (education) addresses all three of these issues … in terms of preventing crime, increasing high school graduation rates and getting kids and families off to a healthier start that leads to a lifetime of healthier outcomes,” Mr. Clash said, referring to studies that show the effectiveness of pre-K.
Lackawanna County has at least 14 state-certified pre-schools compared to two 15 years ago, but too many pre-school-aged children’s families still can’t afford one, said Gary Drapek, president and chief executive officer of the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties.
Eligibility for Pre-K Counts is for up to three times the federal poverty level, or $72,750 for a family of four.
In Lackawanna County, an estimated 1,775 children, ages 3 and 4, are eligible, but there isn’t enough money to help their families pay to send them to pre-school. Statewide, that number is more than 120,000.
Read the full editorial here.
