We’re making high-quality pre-k a top priority in the 2014 election — with your help. Thanks for taking action from home.
On this page, download resources to recruit your personal contacts to sign the Pre-K for PA petition:
SAMPLE EMAIL TO FRIENDS
Feel free to edit this email with your own personal touch.
Dear _____,
We’re getting close to Election Day in Pennsylvania — November 4.
I am asking you to take a simple online action to help the young children and families in our commonwealth. Sign the petition to ensure that all 3- and 4-year-olds can access high-quality pre-kindergarten at www.prekforpa.org/join.
Pre-K for PA has put together an impressive statewide coalition to champion this cause. We need to make sure that all children have a chance at entering kindergarten ready to succeed. Many parents want their kids to have access to the kind of rich environments found at a good preschool, but right now only 1 in 6 children are able to access high-quality pre-k with public funds.
We want to make sure that the next Governor and General Assembly — no matter who is elected — makes our kids a priority. You can help make that possible by signing Pre-K for PA’s petition at www.prekforpa.org/join.
AND… Pre-K for PA has all kinds of graphics to spruce up your Facebook and Twitter feeds. After you sign the petition, visit www.prekforpa.org/share and pick a graphic to share on social media. I’ve copied one of my favorites below.
Your friend,
_______________
The Mercury Letters: Pre-K education is needed throughout Pennsylvania
As an early childhood educator, I know that we have only one chance to prepare our children for their future education and their future success. I see firsthand every day how children who attend preschool programs dedicated to high quality are introduced to and practice crucial life skills that serve as a foundation for academic learning in school.
Preschool programs dedicated to providing high-quality early education understand that there are many foundational skills that children need in order to be successful in school and life.
Read more at the source.
Pre-K for PA releases its third issue brief in a series to guide policy makers on how Pennsylvania can expand access to high-quality pre-kindergarten for all 3- and 4-year-olds.
Read the new issue brief: Financing Access to High-Quality Pre-K (PDF)
| Is Pre-k Out of Reach? (Facebook)
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Is Pre-k Out of Reach? (Twitter)
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The Morning Call: Pre-K programs help prepare next generation
I read with interest Lee Butz’s recent Your View (“Increased funding for preschool education a wise investment”) about the impact that pre-kindergarten programs can have on young learners.
As a retired rear admiral of the Coast Guard, I know firsthand just how difficult it is to find qualified men and women to fill the ranks.
A recent Wall Street Journal article reported that the “Defense Department estimates that 71 percent of the roughly 34 million 17- to 24-year-olds in the U.S. would fail to qualify to enlist in the military if they tried.” This level of ineligibility has obvious consequences for our armed services and civilian employers alike.
The documented impact of early education is impressive, and I am encouraged by the actions of local businesses to expand access to these services through the preschool scholarship program.
Read more.
The Kennett Times: DAs back pre-K to fight crime
What does Pre-K have to do with crime prevention?
Considering that approximately 70 percent of our nation’s state prison population failed to receive a high school diploma, education is a pivotal factor between incarceration and productive citizenship. Long-term research is clear that high quality pre-k can boost graduation rates by as much as 44 percent and keep young people on the right side of the law.
Knowing this, district attorneys have long supported investments in high-quality pre-kindergarten as a key crime prevention strategy.
View the full letter.
Newsworks: Roadblocks to child care snag Philadelphia’s student parents
A recent survey found that there are about 15,000 young Philadelphians lacking a high school diploma who are not currently enrolled in school or employed.
In order to better understand the “why” behind this number the advocacy group Public Citizens for Children and Youth studied how access to child care for young parents affects high school completion rates.
Full story & Interview with Pre-K for PA field organizer Della Jenkins at the source.
