Governor Wolf’s 2018-19 Budget Proposal, Ambitious Steps Forward for Early Learning in PA
Pre-K for PA, Early Learning PA Salutes Gov. Wolf’s Commitment to High-Quality Pre-k, Child Care Access, and Evidence-Based Home Visiting
HARRISBURG (Feb. 6, 2018)— The Pre-K for PA campaign, an initiative of the Early Learning PA (ELPA) coalition, saluted Governor Tom Wolf’s continued commitment to expanding access to early learning from birth to age five in Pennsylvania after he announced a $40 million expansion to high quality pre-k; a $6.5 million expansion to evidence-based home visiting programs; and a $23 million expansion to the state’s child care system, which will expand access to subsidized child care and increase funding for high quality programs as part of his 2018-19 budget address today.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA and Early Learning PA issued the following statement regarding the 2018-19 budget proposal:
“Governor Wolf’s 2018-19 budget proposal once again shows the Governor’s commitment to making wise use of public funds by proposing significant expansions in access to high-quality pre-k. We know that investing in pre-K also has widespread support in the legislature and for that reason we urge the legislature to fully fund the $40 million proposal in order to serve 4,400 more children next year.
“In states across the country we are seeing impressive investments in pre-k, which we hope will serve as an incentive to fully fund this proposal and inspire Pennsylvania to ramp up its investment in the coming years. New Jersey is spending five times more per capita for pre-k than Pennsylvania. West Virginia, which launched its pre-k program in 1983 and made it universal for all four-year-olds six years ago, is investing at three times the rate per-capita than Pennsylvania. In fact, Pennsylvania ranks 18th of the 30 states investing in high-quality, publicly funded pre-k.
“Today only 39 percent of eligible children in Pennsylvania benefit from the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend high quality publicly funded pre-k. Pennsylvania can serve the 106,200 eligible children by 2022, if Pennsylvania lawmakers fully fund Gov. Wolf’s $40 million proposed new investment and the state grows its investment with an additional $270 million over the next three years. If our neighboring states can prioritize pre-k, why not PA?
“Governor Wolf’s proposal also recognizes the importance of child care as a vital workforce support for young Pennsylvania families and a delivery system for high quality pre-k. In fact, 48 percent of children enrolled in Pre-K Counts are served by STAR 3 and 4 child care providers. We applaud efforts to again reduce the state’s waiting list for Child Care Works and increase tiered reimbursement rates for Keystone STAR two, three, and four programs. We are also excited that in addition to child care and pre-k, the proposal also grows funding for evidence-based home visiting programs.”
Governor Wolf’s budget proposal included:
- $30 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program and an additional $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. This $40 million expansion would serve 4,400 additional young children. Currently more than 106,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds do not have access to high-quality publicly funded pre-k programs.
- An additional $6.5 million investment in evidence-based home visiting programs expands home visiting for 800 eligible families and includes a cost of living adjustment for the two long standing home visiting models (Nurse Family Partnership and Family Centers – Parents as Teachers) who haven’t had a rate increase in nearly a decade.
- Investing $10 million more to expand access to 1,600 additional families waiting for access to the child care subsidy.
- $10 million in state funding coupled with $5 million in federal funding for increased tiered reimbursement rates for Keystone STAR two, three, and four child care providers.
- $3 million for a pilot program serving infants and toddlers in high quality child care.
Bipartisan Budget Agreement a Victory for Kids, $30 Million Pre-K Investment Will Serve Thousands More Young Learners
Early Learning Programs Get Significant Boost in 2017-18
HARRISBURG (June 30, 2017)— 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.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA issued the following statement regarding the investment:
“Governor Wolf along with Democrat and Republican legislators deserve a tremendous amount of credit for prioritizing the commonwealth’s three- and four-year-olds by investing $30 million in high-quality pre-k, to serve thousands more of the commonwealth’s youngest learners.
“Elected officials from both sides of the aisle have increasingly understood that expanded investment in high-quality pre-k programs is an effective long-term strategy to ensure that our next generation is ready to succeed. Access to a high-quality pre-k experience also reaps significant cost savings in the future in the form of less public spending on special education, social welfare programs, and criminal justice.
“In this difficult budget cycle, we commend the governor and legislature for their strong commitment to early learning programs. FY 17-18 state funding for child care and home visiting were at risk through this process but policymakers boosted funding for both in addition to the increase in pre-k. The stronger the investment in high-quality early learning – including pre-k, child care, and home visiting – the greater the return – for our children and our commonwealth.”
The 2017-18 spending plan includes the following expanded investments to early learning:
- Increases Pre-K Counts investment: $25 million
- Increases investment in Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program: $5 million
- Restores 2016-17 cut to Child Care Services: $20 million
- New investment in evidenced-based home visiting: $4.77 million
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House Bill 218 Does Not Adequately Invest in Services for PA’s Youngest Citizens
Harrisburg, PA (April 4, 2017) – 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.
House Bill 218 included a $25 million increase to high-quality pre-k ($20 million for Pre-K Counts and $5 million for Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program), which is $50 million less than Governor Wolf’s proposed investment.
House Bill 218 also included deep cuts to other programs that ensure Pennsylvania’s earliest learners are prepared to be successful in school and beyond, including nearly $62 million less than Governor Wolf’s FY 2017-18 proposal for child care, a $28 million cut to the FY 2016-17 budget.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA issued the following statement regarding the passage of HB 218:
“The budget process is never easy, and it is just getting underway, but today the House approved a budget introduced only yesterday that falls far short of what could be considered an adequate investment in services to our youngest citizens. Pennsylvania delivers high-quality, publicly-funded pre-k to many children, but nearly 113,000 remain unserved and a serious investment must be made to continue toward the goal of providing access to all at-risk kids.
“Pre-k doesn’t just benefit the children fortunate enough to access a high-quality program, it benefits the entire commonwealth. Research shows that every dollar invested in high-quality pre-k returns up to $17 in long-term savings and benefits through reduced costs to our schools and society, stronger earnings potential in our workforce and increased tax revenues supporting a more robust economy.
“A strong pre-k system is dependent on an appropriately financed child care system and this proposal will continue to undermine child care financing in our state. This lack of adequate funding undermines the continuum of high-quality early learning in Pennsylvania. The stronger the investment in high-quality early learning – including pre-k, child care and home visiting – the greater the return – for our children and our commonwealth.
“We urge legislators to continue investing in early learning for the sake of young children and our commonwealth and support a FY 2017-18 state budget that includes an increase of $75 million for pre-k, a $35 million increase in funding for child care and a $9 million increase in home visiting services.”
Community-Based Family Center and Nurse-Family Partnerships appropriations were also cut from the current fiscal year and HB 218 fails to include Governor Wolf’s proposed $9 million allocation for evidence-based home visiting to expand the reach of these and other similar programs.
Currently in Pennsylvania, there are more than 112,900 eligible preschool children, or 64 percent statewide, who qualify for high-quality, publicly funded pre-k but remain unserved. Governor Wolf’s budget proposal included $65 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program and an additional $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. This $75 million expansion would serve more than 8,400 additional young children.
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.
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Pre-K, Early Learning Advocates Urge Bi-partisan Support of 2017-18 Investment Proposal
Executive Leaders Laud Gov. Wolf’s Commitment to High-Quality Pre-K
HARRISBURG (Feb. 7, 2017)— 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.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA issued the following statement regarding this budget proposal:
“Governor Wolf, along with a large majority of legislators from both sides of the aisle, understands that continued investment in high-quality pre-k programs is an effective long-term strategy to ensure that our next generation is ready to succeed. We are gratified that he is standing up for kids in his 2017-18 budget proposal. Serving more kids with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will reap strong cost savings in the future in the form of less public spending on special education, social welfare programs and crime.
“Pre-K for PA has united a diverse collection of stakeholders across the commonwealth that are urging the governor and legislature to come together behind a budget agreement that generates enough revenue to balance the budget and makes this investment in pre-k – making 2017 the Year of the Child.”
Governor Wolf’s budget proposal included $65 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program and an additional $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. This $75 million expansion would serve more than 8,400 additional young children. Currently more than 112,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds do not have access to high-quality publicly funded pre-k programs.
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following quotes are offered by members of the Pre-K for PA Executive Leadership Council. This executive-level group includes the commonwealth’s top leaders across business, civic, education, law enforcement and even national security sectors in regions across the state.
Joe Meterchick, Regional President for Philadelphia, Delaware and Southern New Jersey, PNC Bank
“Access to high-quality pre-kindergarten is a fundamental building block of our state’s education system and helps ensure children have the strong foundation necessary to enter kindergarten ready to succeed. As we collectively look toward our future, we encourage Pennsylvania lawmakers to prioritize a commitment to pre-k as an investment in our commonwealth.”
Nick Scott Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Scott Enterprises
“There is overwhelming evidence that when education investment begins early it helps to close the achievement gap before it is too wide and expensive to overcome. Access to quality pre-k means that children are better prepared for future learning opportunities, less likely to need special education and remedial instruction, and more likely to graduate from high school and become a valued member of the workforce. Private funding can only fill the gap so much, and I applaud legislators and Governor Wolf for prioritizing pre-k in the 2017-18 budget.”
Peter P. Brubaker, President, Hammer Creek Enterprises LLC; Commissioner PA Early Learning
Investment Commission
“When it comes to making difficult budget decisions, our leaders in Harrisburg have demonstrated bipartisan support for continued investment in high-quality pre-k programs. In the past two budget cycles, Republicans and Democrats have prioritized pre-k and provided access for more than 6,000 young children. Governor Wolf has proposed $75 million in incremental funding to serve an additional 8,400 children in 2017. I strongly encourage our leaders in the State House and Senate to support the governor’s early childhood budget and to keep the pre-k momentum going.”
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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. Our vision is to ensure that all children can enter school ready to succeed by making high-quality pre-k accessible to every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania. For more information www.prekforpa.org.
NBC 10: PA Budget Passed After 9-Month Deadlock
March 23, 2016
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
February 9, 2016
By The Pre-K for Pa. Coalition
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.
What it didn’t reveal is how to muster the political will to generate necessary new revenue to balance the budget and invest in programs to improve the long-term viability of our state like high quality pre-k education.
Wolf’s proposed multi-year commitment capitalizes on the significant new $30 million investment in pre-k already adopted by the Legislature in the budget passed at the end of December making it possible for over 6,000 children to enroll in pre-k for the remainder of this school year.
Wolf and members of the legislature should also capitalize on the energy of a diverse collection of stakeholders by kicking off the next round of budget discussions with an ambitious investment that keeps us on track to serve all at-risk kids by 2019.
In PennLive’s coverage of the Governor’s pre-k proposal, state Capitol reporter Jan Murphy wrote that “when it comes to preschool, Republican and Democratic lawmakers stand in unison in their support of providing more funding and consider it a wise investment. It also has the support from children’s advocacy groups, district attorneys and military leaders.”
She’s right.
An increasingly broad call for public investment in pre-k from Pennsylvanians of all walks of life is being fueled by the research that demonstrates that 90 percent of brain development occurs before age five.
In the extremely polarized political atmosphere in America, Pennsylvania is poised to make history because uncommon alliances are backing measures to help every child start school ready to learn.
Across the commonwealth, decorated generals and admirals are publicly touting their pre-k support because students who attend high-quality pre-k will someday be entrusted and be more prepared to accept the call to military service. CEO’s are turning up the volume of their call for pre-k because it is an efficient means of helping our state build a more prepared workforce.
District attorneys are arguing for increased access to pre-k because doing so is proven to decrease the chances that a youngster ends up in the courthouse.
This impressive cross section of Pennsylvanians is advancing pre-k because of the evidence that it’s our best shot to significantly increase the share of children who succeed in school, to cut costs for government services, and to support our state’s future economic growth.
The Pre-K for PA coalition, with its 14,000 supporters, believes that the opportunity afforded to young children through pre-k is essential to Pennsylvania’s long-term viability and is actively working to ensure that state revenues are available to balance the state budget and to invest—at a minimum—the Governor’s proposed $90 million increase for this and next fiscal year.
A bold bipartisan push for something as important as access to pre-k has the potential to significantly boost public confidence in our political process.
It would be a welcome shift away from the divisive discourse that focuses solely on political, social or ideological labels.
It’s time to get together on new ways to support investments that help grow the commonwealth.
It’s time to get behind pre-k, which speaks to Pennsylvanians and unite the many proud constituencies of our state who know our future is dependent on all kids entering school ready to learn.
The Pre-K for Pa Coalition is: Jodi Askins, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children; Joan Benso, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children; Cara Ciminillo, Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children; Donna Cooper, Public Citizen’s for Children and Youth; Bruce Clash, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; Steve Doster, Mission Readiness – Military Leaders for Kids; Kevin Dow, United Way of Greater Philadelphia & Southern New Jersey; Blair Hyatt, Pennsylvania Head Start Association; Sharon Easterling, Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, and Steve Wray, Economy League of Greater Philadelphia
See the Op-ed here.
