Erie.com: Former Governor Schweiker calls for investment in pre-k
Former Governor Mark Schweiker opened the 2015 Kiwanis Early Education Summit, as part of the Pennsylvania District of Kiwanis International Annual convention at the Erie County Convention Center today with a continued call for significant investment in early learning and a repeated call to action to pre-k supporters.
“Stay energized, be intelligently persistent and we will be successful,” exclaimed former Governor Mark Schweiker to a crowd of about 300 Kiwanians and Pre-K for PA supporters. “There is a great impasse in Harrisburg, but I’m optimistic—I’m bullish about this. $120 million is a good start, which means 14,000 kids have a shot to get into a high-quality classroom. The intellectual and human and social development and opportunities for these kids is immense.”
The six-weeklong state budget impasse has left Pre-K Counts recipients without state funding, and a $120 million new pre-k investment hangs in the balance.
“We have a growing bipartisan coalition behind this,” said former Governor Schweiker. “This isn’t some off to the side political pursuit or a break the bank pursuit. We think it’s an affordable commitment. We’re talking $120 million in a general fund budget north of $29 billion. It’s not going to break the bank. I would argue in the out years that it’s going to save dollars.”
Read the full article here.
Erie Recognizes the Importance of Pre-K in PA
At a regional legislative breakfast in Erie, PA on May 28th, Major General (Ret.) Michael E. Dunlavey – a member of Mission: Readiness – Military Leaders for Kids, a national nonprofit organization of more than 500 retired generals and admirals touted the need to expand pre-k as part of an effort to better prepare our workforce, particularly in the armed services, which is reporting fewer graduates are ineligible to join. The breakfast featured state legislators, local business and community leaders who are working together to advocate for expanded access to pre-k for the thousands of un-served kids in Erie County.
The event received a variety of press including this video from YourErie.com:
Erie Times ran an article Retired General Supports Pre-K Effort in Pennsylvania
Senior Judge Michael Dunlavey, a retired two-star general in the U.S. Army Reserve, said access to early childhood education is connected to the nation’s ability to protect and defend itself.
“We can’t defend America if we don’t have young men and women who are going to be able to lead us through the 21st century,” Dunlavey said Thursday.
In a message aimed at legislators, Dunlavey said, “You have not only the opportunity but the duty to fund these programs. It will save the lives of our children.”
State Sen. Sean Wiley, one of several local legislators who attended the event at the Ambassador Center, said the benefits of investing in pre-K far outweigh the cost of those programs.
“It is no longer an option to do nothing,” said Wiley, D-49th Dist.
Pre-K access is directly tied to economic success, said state Rep. Florindo Fabrizio, D-2nd Dist.
“The social ills of this country could be eradicated by good education,” Fabrizio said. “With quality education comes economic success.”
The issue has drawn bipartisan support, including from state Rep. Curt Sonney, of Harborcreek Township, R-4th Dist. The family structure has changed over the years, making access to quality pre-K necessary, he said.
Read the full article here.
South Central PA Law Enforcement Leaders / PA Corrections Secretary Wetzel: “We’re The Guys You Pay Later”
Camp Hill, PA (May 26, 2015) – South central Pennsylvania prosecutors and other law enforcement leaders who are members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids were hosted by PA Corrections Secretary John E. Wetzel at State Corrections Institution (SCI) Camp Hill today to release a report – We’re The Guys You Pay Later – that shows how Governor Tom Wolf’s proposed $120 million state funding increase for early childhood education can boost high school graduation rates, reduce the number of people who are incarcerated in Pennsylvania, and eventually lead to $350 million in Corrections and other cost savings for the Commonwealth every year.
Cumberland County District Attorney David J. Freed, Dauphin County District Attorney Edward M. Marsico, Jr., Lebanon County District Attorney David J. Arnold, and Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch all spoke at the event. They were also joined by Chambersburg Police Chief David J. Arnold and Franklin County Sheriff Dane M. Anthony.
The law enforcement leaders urged state lawmakers to prioritize expanded funding for high-quality pre-kindergarten to reduce the unmet need in south central Pennsylvania and across the Commonwealth. Currently, more than 200,000 out of 296,000 3- and 4-year-olds in Pennsylvania lack access to high quality pre-k every year.
This event received statewide coverage:
Watch video of Gov. Wolf speaking at the event.
Harrisburg Patriot-News: “Midstate prosecutors stand with Gov. Tom Wolf for higher pre-k spending”
“A group of midstate prosecutors Tuesday endorsed Gov. Tom Wolf’s plan to nearly double the state’s pool of money to increase enrollment by low-income children in pre-kindergarten and Head Start programs… The prosecutors, appearing with Wolf and State Corrections Secretary John Wetzel outside the main gate of State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill, bolstered their arguments with results from national studies showing that investing money in early education now saves more dollars in avoided criminal justice and social welfare costs down the road… Applying the national studies to Pennsylvania, Wolf’s proposed $256 million investment could return the state more than $1.7 billion over the lifetime of the children served.” Read the entire article.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “Governor ties early childhood education to crime prevention”
“Mr. Wolf, along with state Corrections Secretary John Wetzel and others, noted a report released from the organization ‘Fight Crime: Invest in Kids’ that says more pre-kindergarten programs would boost high school graduation rates and reduce the number of people in prison… According to the report, the $120 million spending increase for early childhood education included in Mr. Wolf’s budget proposal would eventually save the state $350 million in prison spending each year.” Read the full article.
Allentown Morning Call: “PA Gov. Tom Wolf goes to prison to tout preschool funding”
“The Fight Crime: Invest in Kids report also used parameters established by the Washington Legislature’s research unit to conclude that Wolf’s preschool budget would save taxpayers an average of $26,000 for each newly served child. Those savings would be had by reduced spending in special education, grade retention during the child’s school-age years and by keeping the children off welfare and prison rolls as they move into adulthood. The savings would add up to $364 million if all the newly served children lived to be 65, the report found. ‘This is not soft on crime, this is smart on crime,’ said Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch, a Republican… ‘I can’t think of a better investment and a better reason for us to be joined here by district attorneys, by law enforcement and by the governor himself right outside one of our prisons to really highlight the connections that we have to have the courage to invest today to pay off tomorrow,’ said [Acting Secretary of the Department of Corrections John] Wetzel.” Read the full article.
Newsworks: “GOP prosecutors bolster Wolf’s case for more Pa. pre-K funding”
“Several district attorneys in Pennsylvania are standing behind Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposal to invest more money in early childhood education. Four Republican district attorneys and the Democratic governor appeared Tuesday at Camp Hill prison to urge lawmakers to allocate more funding in pre-K programs. The investment, they said, would boost high school graduation rates and reduce the number of people in prison. All of that would save money.” Read the full article.
Chambersburg Public Opinion: “Law enforcement: Pay for pre-K now, or pay us more later”
“Pennsylvania Corrections Secretary John Wetzel on Tuesday hosted an event urging state lawmakers to expand funding for high-quality pre-kindergarten in expectations of curtailing future crime and costs…. ‘I feel we need to do all we can to give kids the best chance to do well in school,’ [Chambersburg Police Chief David] Arnold said, ‘Education is the great equalizer. If a kid does poorly in school and does not get at least a high school education his future is severely limited and crime becomes a viable option. It’s much cheaper to assist the kids and their families (so they) see the value of education and provide hope and a path to a brighter future’… Gov. Tom Wolf, one of the speakers on Tuesday, has proposed spending $120 million more on preschool for three- and four-year olds.” Read the full article.
Carlisle Sentinel: “Wolf, lawmakers release report for funding of quality early education”
“Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf, prosecutors and other law enforcement leaders joined together with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids at the State Corrections Institution at Camp Hill to release a report stating that investment in early childhood education will save on incarceration costs down the road… Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said as a great believer of education, he believes these programs work… Freed said there are nearly 49,000 prisoners in the state prison system, which costs taxpayers $2 billion a year, with 0.004 percent of the population consuming about 7 percent of the state budget. These ‘troubling statistics’ can start to be turned around by investing in at risk children at a young age. ‘Increasing access to pre-k will lead more kids succeeding in school and save taxpayer dollars for years to come,’ Freed said… Lebanon County District Attorney David J. Arnold, and Snyder County District Attorney Michael Piecuch echoed these comments, stating that investing in the front-end will save taxpayer dollars in the back-end.” Read the full article.
AP: “Law enforcement adds backing to Wolf’s pre-kindergarten plan”
“Gov. Tom Wolf is getting help from law enforcement officials in his push to persuade lawmakers to spend more money to raise the quality of Pennsylvania’s pre-kindergarten programs… A 2001 study by the Institute for Research on Poverty at the University of Wisconsin showed that school participation that starts at ages 3 or 4 was associated with ‘significantly higher rates of school completion by age 20, with lower rates of juvenile arrests’… Under Wolf’s plan, 14,000 more 3- and 4-year-olds would have access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, which must meet guidelines for curriculum, teacher training, nutrition and class size, among other things. Currently, 56,000 Pennsylvania children attend high-quality public pre-kindergarten programs. That is 19 percent of nearly 300,000 3- and 4-year-olds in the state… New York, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia are well ahead of Pennsylvania, according to the coalition’s figures.” Read the full article.
Philadelphia Inquirer: “Wolf: Let’s pay for preschool, not prison”
“Wolf, surrounded by area district attorneys and other law enforcement officials outside the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill…cited studies that show children who participate in high-quality preschool programs are less likely to be arrested for a felony or incarcerated as young adults. Among them was a report by the national anticrime group Fight Crime: Invest in Kids. It stated that Wolf’s proposed boost for early-childhood education could save the state more than $350 million over the lifetime of those children who would now be able to enroll in prekindergarten programs… The state currently spends just over $2.2 billion on corrections and probation and parole – about 8 percent of the overall budget.” Read the full article.
York Dispatch: York’s Local and State Leaders Advocate Pre-K Expansion, But Argue Cost
By Jessica Schladebeck
York County’s local and state leaders seem to agree that early education is a key to reducing future taxpayer expenses, including incarceration, but some are skeptical that Yorker Gov. Tom Wolf will get the increased investment he outlined for the coming year’s budget.
An initiative to expand early learning programs, spearheaded by Pre-K for PA, brought together teachers, advocates and state leaders Friday at West Manchester Township’s Wyndham Garden Hotel to discuss the benefit and the necessity of pre-k for Pennsylvania.
Wolf has proposed an additional $120 million for pre-k programs. And though local officials might support expansion, at least one said it’s unlikely the Democratic governor’s request will make it into the final state budget.
“As a supporter of pre-k, I have to be blunt for you: You’re not going to get the $120 million. The financial support just isn’t there for it yet,” said Rep. Stan Saylor, R-Windsor Township, noting that he does believe there will still be some additional funding for K-12 as well as early education programs.
“There is a commitment from Democrats, Republicans and our governor to keep these programs growing,” he said. “Right now, it’s just a question of how much we’ll be able to get.”
Every dollar invested in early education will generate $1.79 in immediate return and up to $17 in the long term, said Tom Wray, executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia.
The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia is one of 10 partners in Pre-K for PA, an initiative advocating for every 3- and 4-year old to have high-quality pre-k.
Read the full article here.
York Daily Record: 5 Takeaways from Local and State Leaders about High-Quality Pre-K in Pennsylvania
More than a dozen local and state leaders gathered for a breakfast on the topic Friday in West Manchester Township
By Dylan Segelbaum
dsegelbaum@ydr.com @dylan_segelbaum on Twitter
More than a dozen local and state leaders gathered on Friday at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in West Manchester Township to talk about the benefits of high quality pre-K, calling it essential to the future of Pennsylvania.
In front of more than 60 people, speakers discussed where Pennsylvania stands in terms of access to high-quality pre-K, how expanding it could benefit the state, and what’s involved in some of Gov. Tom Wolf’s proposals about education in his executive 2015-16 budget. The breakfast was part of the initiative Pre-K for PA. Pre-K programs prepare children for kindergarten by teaching them basic skills to help their development.
Here are five takeaways from the event:
1. Access to high quality pre-K in York County:
Robert Woods, the executive director of United Way of York County, said that locally there are 10,858 children who are ages 3 and 4. Of those, he said, only 9 percent have access to high-quality, publicly funded pre-K.
2. What is the Pre-K for PA initiative?
Steve Wray, the executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, said the organization is one of 10 partners in Pre-K for PA, an initiative advocating for every 3- and 4-year-old to have access to it.
“Pre-K is a smart choice,” he said. “It saves money, it builds incomes, it builds intellectual capital for the future — it builds our capacity for our state and for our regions.”
Wray outlined the goals of the campaign, which was started last year:
• Educate people about the benefits of pre-K
• Discuss the social and economic benefits
• Encourage legislators to invest more money
3. Long-term return on investments
Wray, citing data from an analysis commissioned by the league, said:
• For every $1 Pennsylvania spends on pre-K, $1.79 is created in immediate spending
• If the state provided pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds, that would generate $800 million and 28,000 jobs
• In the long term, that investment would translate into $17 in savings for every $1 spent
Read the full article here.
Centre Daily Times: Expanded Preschool Access Crucial to Community, Centre County Leaders Say
STATE COLLEGE — Pushing investment in early education, county leaders and organizations met Friday to discuss the community benefits of expanding access to preschool.
Sen. Jake Corman, R-Benner Township, State College police Chief Tom King, Rear Adm. (Ret.) Thomas Wilson and Nittany Kiwanis Club President Bill Franz gathered at St. Paul’s Christian Preschool and Childcare to stress the importance of quality Pre-K programs.
The event was hosted by Pre-K for Pa., a non-partisan campaign seeking to ensure that all 3- and 4-year-olds in the state have access to high-quality preschool by 2018.
Pre-K for Pa. is made up of several organizations, including Fight Crime: Invest in Kids and Mission: Readiness – Military leaders for Kids, who have banded together to renew the push for better Pre-K schooling.
King, who is a member of the Fight Crime initiative, said he is a big believer in preschool.
“A lot of law enforcement is prevention,” he said. “This is a whole different area of prevention that’s important.”
When a child drops out of high school, he said, the likelihood of being arrested skyrockets. Establishing a good education early helps prevent these dropouts from occurring. Also, he said he’s willing to look at anything that can help reduce the cost of corrections.
Even though prison populations didn’t change, the prison system is spending $150 million more this year than last, Corman said.
Read more here.
