HARRISBURG, PA (November 12, 2025) – Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, applauded the 2025-26 state budget’s focus on children and early education workforce investments, vital commitments finalized after prolonged negotiations.
Investments that will stabilize and reverse the exodus of early educators will directly benefit tens of thousands of teachers and other professional staff and help provider businesses remain open. Additionally, these investments will help reverse the billions of dollars in lost productivity and earnings suffered by working families and employers when families don’t have the care they need.
The partners of ELPA issued the following statements regarding the 2025-26 state budget. ELPA operates issue-based advocacy campaigns including: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, and Thriving PA.
Budget establishes new initiative to address PA’s child care teacher crisis
“Start Strong PA celebrates the Shapiro Administration and General Assembly for the establishment of a new child care teacher recruitment and retention program that will help keep teachers in the classroom so that working families have access to the care they need.
“The $25 million recurring investment will benefit the teachers and other para-professionals that are directly responsible for the care of children in licensed child care programs throughout the commonwealth participating in the child care subsidy program.
“With this investment, Pennsylvania is joining 18 other states that are directly investing in teacher recruitment and retention efforts to keep child care classrooms open for the benefit of working parents and the economy at large.
“Recent estimates show that gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system cost working families, employers, and taxpayers a staggering $6.65 billion annually — in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.
“A September 2024 survey of 1,140 child care providers, representing 17 percent of providers, from across Pennsylvania, showed that 92% of child care programs reported challenges in recruiting staff with 85% struggling with teacher shortages leaving more than 3,000 unfilled positions statewide, thereby – eliminating child care for more than 25,000 Pennsylvania children.
“With a net loss of 590 licensed child care programs over the past five years, Start Strong PA looks forward to working with Pennsylvania lawmakers to ensure the Commonwealth focuses on building on this investment so we can more fully address the child care staffing crisis and its impact on working families and employers.”
State budget boosts Pre-K Counts rates to tackle ongoing teacher shortage; further support needed for Head Start
“Pre-K for PA commends the Shapiro Administration and General Assembly for taking meaningful action to address the historic teacher staffing shortage in the Pre-K Counts program. The 2025-26 state budget provides $9.5 million in new state funding to help stabilize early learning providers by increasing per child rates– an important measure to counter rising costs and staffing challenges driven by low wages.
“In recent years, opportunities for higher salaries in K–12 education and other sectors have made it increasingly difficult for Pre-K Counts providers to retain qualified teachers, forcing some programs to reduce enrollment or close classrooms. This new investment represents a critical step forward in ensuring that state-funded pre-kindergarten programs remain strong, sustainable, and accessible for Pennsylvania’s youngest learners.
“However, we are disappointed that the final budget fails to offer support for the commonwealth’s Head Start Supplemental programs that are facing similar staffing challenges. While the passage of a state budget will send delayed payments to Pennsylvania’s Head Start programs, we should be investing additional dollars to expand this lifeline for children and families.
“Mitigating teacher shortages in Pennsylvania’s publicly funded pre-k programs is a necessary first step in ensuring that all children have access to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Currently, 78,000 three- and four-year-olds in the commonwealth are eligible but do not have access to high-quality pre-k programs.”
Enacted budget also recognizes significant workforce challenges in Early Intervention
“We are also pleased that the final budget includes a total increase of $41.7 million for Early Intervention services. Specifically, $13.2 million of the increase is allocated for the Part C (Infants and Toddlers) program in the Department of Human Services budget, with $10 million of these funds directed to increase provider rates to address key challenges in the sector including workforce shortages. The remainder of the combined increase provides an additional $28.5 million for the Part B (age three to five) program in the Department of Education budget. Early Intervention is a critical component of the early care and education system, as all children from birth through age five with developmental delays, regardless of family income level, must be identified, referred to, and provided necessary services to help them and their families reach their fullest potential. These programs show significant increases in the number of children needing these critical services each year.
2025-2026 PA State Budget Includes:
- $25 million in additional funding for child care ($25 million in the new Child Care Recruitment and Retention line with level funding in the Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance line items).
- $9.5 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program.
- Level funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.
- $13.2 million increase for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) program through DHS, with $10 million of these funds allocated for a rate increase for providers.
- $28.5 million increase for the Early Intervention Part B (age three to five) program through PDE.
- Level funding for evidence-based home visiting in the Community-Based Family Center line item and a small reduction in the Nurse-Family Partnership line due to a change in federal matching rates.
Bipartisan Lawmakers Join Providers to Highlight Devastating Impact of State Budget Impasse and Federal Shutdown on Children and Families
HARRISBURG, PA (October 29, 2025) Today, the Pennsylvania Head Start Association, alongside bipartisan legislative leaders and providers from across the state, celebrated the 60th anniversary of the national Head Start program while issuing an urgent warning about the devastating impact of the ongoing state budget impasse and federal government shutdown on early childhood education.
The event featured a proclamation recognizing Head Start Awareness Month and powerful testimonials from providers detailing classroom closures, staff layoffs, and the dire financial maneuvers required to stay afloat.
“The future of Pennsylvania’s child care and pre-k system is on the line,” said Kara McFalls, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Head Start Association. “We have celebrated 60 years of Head Start’s legacy. Now, we must fight for its future. Every day without a budget, we jeopardize our children’s education, working families’ stability, and our overall economic success.”
Legislators from both parties emphasized the program’s proven track record and bipartisan support. “Before I ever ran for office, my career was dedicated to advocating for children and families,” said Representative Justin Fleming (D-105). “Here in Pennsylvania, Head Start serves over 35,000 children, including over 1,000 in foster care and over 2,500 experiencing homelessness. We have the data. We have the bipartisan support. What we need now is the political will to fund it.”
The PA budget impasse has left some communities without access to the comprehensive education and health services that Head Start programs offer the children and families they serve.
Holly Strait, Senior Vice President of PathStone Corporation, reported 12 closed classrooms, 145 children unserved, and 48 staff laid off. “On this 60th anniversary, we should be talking about how to expand this proven program, not how to save it from collapse.”
Pam Johnson, Executive Director of Jefferson-Clarion Head Start described a heavy heart on a day that should be filled with celebration. “As we speak, 323 children in our two counties are without the services they depend on,” said Johnson. “Their classrooms are silent. Their little chairs are empty. We have been forced to lay off over 50 dedicated, passionate staff members—the very people who are the lifeblood of this program.”
The providers underscored that the budget delay forces programs into an impossible choice: take on high-interest debt to pay teachers or close classrooms and lose irreplaceable staff to other industries, further crippling a sector already struggling with poverty-level wages.
“To date, we have stretched every dollar. We have used every resource. We have done this because we believe in the children,” shared Deidra Vachier, CEO of Community Services for Children, revealing her program has spent $2.6 million in reserves and will now need to access a line of credit, costing an additional $10,000 per month in interest. “We will keep doing our part as long as we can, but our state and federal lawmakers must also do theirs. Pass a state budget. End the federal shutdown.”
Participants called for an immediate resolution to the budget impasse and as part of the 2025-26 final state budget, Pennsylvania policymakers should include:
- $17 million in additional funding for Pre-K Counts
- $9.5 million in additional funding for Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and
- $55 million for child care teacher recruitment and retention funding.
About Pennsylvania Head Start Association:
The Pennsylvania Head Start Association (PA HSA) is a private, not-for-profit membership organization that represents the 61 Head Start grantees in Pennsylvania. For over 20 years, PA HSA has been committed to ensuring that every vulnerable child and family in Pennsylvania has the opportunity to succeed through access to high-quality early childhood education and comprehensive support services.
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Surveys Find Devastating Impacts of State Budget Impasse on Pennsylvania’s Early Learning Providers
Documented to date: $20 Million in Loans; 4,000 Children Shut Out
Harrisburg, PA (October 17, 2025) – Recent surveys conducted by the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns as well as the Pennsylvania Office of Childhood Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) of both Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program (HSSAP) providers found widespread, devastating impacts resulting from the state budget impasse.
In response to a short survey concluded on October 10th, Pre-K for PA / Start Strong PA documented that 95 Pre-K Counts and HSSAP providers across 32 counties have collectively taken on nearly $20 million in loans in order to continue to serve working families while state funding has been frozen. Many of these loans have been business lines of credit taken out at an average interest rate of 7.5 percent, while others have been personal loans with higher interest rates. Many providers have indicated that loans will only sustain operations for a short period of time and the accumulated interest liability may have severe consequences for future operations.
“This survey represents just a small portion of early learning providers, but it is clear that the continued state budget impasse is further destabilizing a sector that was already in the midst of a crisis with financial and staffing challenges,” said Kara McFalls, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Head Start Association. “Early learning providers can not withstand additional insecurity.”
While dozens of providers have taken on debt to keep their classrooms open, many others have been forced to take even more drastic measures, including laying off staff and closing classrooms completely.
Through targeted outreach across 21 grantees operating Pre-K Counts and/or HSSAP programs across 16 PA Counties, OCDEL documented closures, planned closures, or delayed openings of classrooms that affect more than 4,000 slots across the Commonwealth. This represents more than 4,000 children being denied the opportunity of a foundational early learning experience due to the inability to pass a timely PA state budget. It also represents working families across the state that are struggling to arrange and pay for alternate care for their children during working hours. Both Pre-K Counts and HSSAP are free programs for qualifying families.
“We know that gaps in care already cost this Commonwealth over $6.5 Billion in lost economic opportunity each year. This impasse and its effects on working families and early learning providers is adding to this figure,” said Robert S. Carl, Jr., President and CEO of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce. “Additionally, shutting our youngest learners out of classrooms will certainly have negative impacts on school readiness for this cohort of three- and four-year-olds in years to come. It’s time to compromise and pass a budget that invests in the early learning workforce!”
Previous surveys have documented thousands of unfilled early learning teaching positions due to low pay. Providers fear that closures and layoffs resulting from the current state budget impasse will significantly exacerbate these staffing challenges and further destabilize programs for the foreseeable future.
Recent polling from March 2025 shows that Pennsylvania voters overwhelmingly support increasing state funding for early learning programs:
- 83% support allocating state funding to increase childcare worker wages.
- 73% support increasing state funding to serve more eligible children in pre-K programs.
- 73% support increasing state funding to help more low-income families afford high-quality childcare.
- 72% favor allocating state funding to increase compensation for pre-K teachers.
Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA urge Pennsylvania policymakers to take this voter sentiment to heart and pass a final budget which includes:
- A $55 million investment in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program with $1,000 per educator;
- $17 million in additional funding for Pre-K Counts;
- $9.5 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and
- $16.2 million increase for infant/toddler Early Intervention and $38.1 million increase for preschool Early Intervention.
“These urgently needed investments will stabilize and reverse the exodus of early educators and help keep early learning programs open so parents can go to work,” said Jen DeBell, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children. “It’s imperative that lawmakers return to Harrisburg and negotiate and pass a final budget that includes these pro-working family investments.”
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Urge passage of child care teacher recruitment and retention proposal as part of final state budget agreement
August 6, 2025 – Local chamber of commerce leaders, child care teachers and working parents gathered via Zoom to discuss how the ongoing child care teacher shortage, driven by unlivable wages, is forcing classrooms to close and leaving working families scrambling to find care. Participants urged lawmakers to prioritize child care in the 2025-2026 state budget by including Governor Shapiro’s proposal to invest $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to boost the pay of the Commonwealth’s child care teachers by $1,000.
“As Chamber leaders, we know that child care isn’t just a family issue—it’s an economic issue. This is why more than 70 of Pennsylvania’s local chambers of commerce are urging the General Assembly to invest in our child care teachers,” said Ron Aldom, Executive Director of the Somerset County Chamber. “When parents can’t find reliable, affordable care, they can’t work. When child care providers struggle to recruit and retain staff, classrooms close, and employers lose valuable employees. This crisis is holding back our workforce, our businesses, and our entire economy.”
As part of the event, Aldom discussed the results of a statewide PA Chamber survey of employers on the impact that limited child care options are having on Pennsylvania businesses.
Key findings from the survey include:
- A staggering 81 percent of employers said they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care challenges.
- The vast majority of businesses — 69 percent — indicated that it is extremely or very important to help their employees meet their child care needs.
Aldom noted that these child care issues have a real cost to the economy. He cited a recent economic analysis conducted by the nonprofit ReadyNation and the PA Early Learning Investment Commission showing that gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system cost working families, employers, and taxpayers a staggering $6.65 billion annually — in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.
“Across Pennsylvania, we’ve lost 460 of our child care providers since 2019—a staggering blow to working families, said Briana Tomack, President and CEO of the Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce. “In Southwest PA specifically, the numbers are at critical levels. Fayette County has lost over 30% of its providers, Greene over 25% of their providers, and Westmoreland has lost over 11%. Imagine trying to keep a job, run a business, or even put food on the table when child care is out of reach—not for weeks, but for years. That’s the reality families are facing right now.”
A September survey conducted by the Start Strong PA Campaign of 1,140 child care providers from across Pennsylvania showed that 92% of child care programs reported challenges in recruiting staff with 85% struggling with teacher shortages. Those shortages are leaving more than 3,000 unfilled positions statewide. Programs could serve an additional 25,320 children if they could recruit and retain the staff they need, and these numbers represent less than 18% of the total open registered programs in Pennsylvania.
“We’ve had to close multiple rooms and downsize our program simply because we cannot find educators. Right now, we serve 120 children. But here’s the heartbreaking reality: We’re licensed for 350,” said Brie Rice, Program Specialist, JB’s Bright Beginnings. “It’s time for our elected officials to support us with funding specifically for teacher recruitment and retention. Our children, our families, and our workforce deserve nothing less.”
Amy Bradley, President & CEO, Cambria Regional Chamber of Commerce shared that in the same September 2024 survey, 100% of the 23 providers that responded in Cambria County said they face significant challenges recruiting the staff they need. This has resulted in 64 unfilled staff positions and has limited the number of children those providers can serve by 748, making 748 child care spaces unavailable for working families.
“As a parent, it was important for me to find a place where my children would be accepted, protected, and educated every day,” said Sara Sisler, parent and Director of Curriculum, Environment, and Development, Judy Early Education Group. “And fortunately, when I enrolled my first child six years ago, I was working as a teacher within the same facility. I wear two hats that feel impossible to balance most days. I’m not only a parent of two young children who rely on child care, but I’m also an early educator in the field. I have witnessed the recruitment and retention challenges firsthand, as the turnover rate in our centers is at an all-time high.”
Stephanie McAdoo, Director of Indi Kids explained why child care providers can’t fill open positions. “Because child care runs on impossible math. Families can’t afford higher tuition, state subsidies don’t cover true costs, and teachers—our most critical workforce—earn poverty wages,” shared McAdoo. “Our teachers make less than cashiers at Sheetz or Target. How can we continue to ask our educators to shape young minds when they can’t afford rent or to feed their own families?”
Dan DeBone, President and CEO of the Westmoreland Chamber presented new polling data showing overwhelming Pennsylvania voter support for early childhood care and education programs and increased state funding to strengthen and grow these services. The statewide poll, commissioned by the Early Learning PA Coalition and conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research found that:
- 98% of Pennsylvania voters have reached consensus that early childhood education is an important piece of what it takes to lead a healthy and productive life.
- 83% support increasing state funding for child care teacher recruitment and retention.
- 72% back more funding to increase compensation for pre-k teachers.
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Urge passage of child care teacher recruitment and retention proposal as part of final state budget agreement
July 23, 2025 – Local chamber of commerce leaders, child care teachers and working parents gathered in Philadelphia to discuss how the ongoing child care teacher shortage, driven by unlivable wages, is forcing classrooms to close and leaving working families scrambling to find care. Participants urged lawmakers to prioritize child care in the 2025-2026 state budget by including Governor Shapiro’s proposal to invest $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to boost the pay of the Commonwealth’s child care teachers by $1,000.
“As Chamber leaders, we know that child care isn’t just a family issue—it’s an economic issue. This is why more than 70 of Pennsylvania’s local chambers of commerce are urging the General Assembly to invest in our child care teachers,” said Bob Carl Jr., President and CEO of the Schuylkill County Chamber. “When parents can’t find reliable, affordable care, they can’t work. When child care providers struggle to recruit and retain staff, classrooms close, and employers lose valuable employees. This crisis is holding back our workforce, our businesses, and our entire economy.”
As part of the event, Carl discussed the results of a statewide PA Chamber survey of employers on the impact that limited child care options are having on Pennsylvania businesses.
Key findings from the survey include:
- A staggering 81 percent of employers said they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care challenges.
- The vast majority of businesses — 69 percent — indicated that it is extremely or very important to help their employees meet their child care needs.
Carl noted that these child care issues have a real cost to the economy. He cited a recent economic analysis conducted by the nonprofit ReadyNation and the PA Early Learning Investment Commission showing that gaps in Pennsylvania’s child care system cost working families, employers, and taxpayers a staggering $6.65 billion annually — in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue.
“Chambers across the Commonwealth have heard the pleas of employers. I am here to speak on behalf of those businesses,” stated Laura Manion, President and CEO of Chester County Chamber of Commerce. “Study after study shows that every dollar spent on early education yields massive returns—in workforce participation, in school readiness, and in business growth. Child care is infrastructure—just like roads and broadband. If we want a strong economy, we need to fund it.”
A September survey conducted by the Start Strong PA Campaign of 1,140 child care providers from across Pennsylvania showed that 92% of child care programs reported challenges in recruiting staff with 85% struggling with teacher shortages. Those shortages are leaving more than 3,000 unfilled positions statewide. Programs could serve an additional 25,320 children if they could recruit and retain the staff they need, and these numbers represent less than 18% of the total open registered programs in Pennsylvania.
“Right now, LifeSpan serves 800 children across three counties (Lehigh, Montgomery and Bucks),” said Nicole Fetherman, Director, LifeSpan. “But with 10–15 teaching positions perpetually unfilled, we could serve, at minimum, 100 more families tomorrow—if we had the staff.”
In the same September 2024 survey in Lehigh, Montgomery and Bucks County, 167 programs reported 471 unfilled jobs. If those positions weren’t vacant, the programs could serve 4,500 more children.
“We’ve had to close multiple rooms and downsize our program simply because we cannot find educators. Right now, we serve 120 children. But here’s the heartbreaking reality: We’re licensed for 350,” said Brie Rice, Program Specialist, JB’s Bright Beginnings. “It’s time for our elected officials to support us with funding specifically for teacher recruitment and retention. Our children, our families, and our workforce deserve nothing less.”
Samantha Chivinski, Executive Vice President of the Schuylkill County Chamber of Commerce noted that Schuylkill County has experienced a 20 percent reduction in the number of child care providers since 2019. “In a recent parent survey conducted by our chamber, 63 percent of those parents reported being placed on a waiting list for child care. These waiting lists ranged from months up to three years,” said Chivinski.
Before founding the Norristown Chamber of Commerce and a regional logistics company, Kym Ramsey opened and operated two early learning centers in Montgomery County serving more than 1,200 children and employing over 200 early childhood educators. “The economics of child care simply do not allow providers, who are small business owners, to offer competitive wages while keeping tuition affordable for working families. With the child care sector averaging $15 per hour, we simply cannot compete with other sectors where jobs pay more than $20 per hour and don’t have the responsibility of shaping young minds,” said Ramsey.
Event participants presented new polling data showing overwhelming Pennsylvania voter support for early childhood care and education programs and increased state funding to strengthen and grow these services. The statewide poll, commissioned by the Early Learning PA Coalition and conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research found that:
- 98% of Pennsylvania voters have reached consensus that early childhood education is an important piece of what it takes to lead a healthy and productive life.
- 83% support increasing state funding for child care teacher recruitment and retention.
Megan Gherrity, a parent and teacher from CrossPoint Early Learning Center in Dauphin County shared her daily struggle. “I wear two hats that feel impossible to balance most days: I’m not only a parent of two young children who rely on child care, I’m also a child care teacher. I know firsthand what’s at stake in this fight—not just as someone who depends on this system, but as someone who gives my all to it every single day,” stated Gherrity. “I didn’t become a teacher to get rich. I did it because I believe in the magic of early learning—the way a child’s eyes light up when they finally write their name, the trust in their voice when they whisper a secret. But magic doesn’t pay rent. Passion doesn’t cover health insurance. And no teacher should have to choose between the career they love and feeding their own children.”
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HARRISBURG, PA (July 14, 2025) — The principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, applauded the Pennsylvania House’s bipartisan passage of House Bill 1330 this evening, which includes Governor Shapiro’s proposed investments in the early care and learning workforce.
The partners of ELPA issued the following statement regarding the passage:
“The Governor and Pennsylvania House of Representatives responded to the pleas of Pennsylvanians to prioritize early care and learning by investing in early childhood educators and ensuring that their critical work of caring for and educating young children is valued. These educators are the workforce behind the workforce in Pennsylvania, and their work matters to children, families, businesses and Pennsylvania’s economic security.
“We laud the fact that House Bill 1330 includes the following investments above FY 2024-25 appropriations:
- A $55 million investment in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program with $1,000 per educator
- $17 million in additional funding for Pre-K Counts and
- $16.2 million increase for infant/toddler Early Intervention and $38.1 million increase for preschool Early Intervention.
“The House action is a positive step toward a final budget agreement which demonstrates that Pennsylvania state lawmakers stand with families with young children on these essential pro-family, early childhood line items. Coalition partners encourage the Senate to support these investments and ensure that $9.5 million is provided for Pennsylvania’s Head Start Supplemental Assistance Programs in the FY 2025-26 Pennsylvania budget.
“These urgently needed investments will stabilize and reverse the exodus of early educators, directly benefit tens of thousands of early childhood professionals and help keep child care centers open so parents can go to work. Additionally, these investments will begin to reverse the billions of dollars in lost productivity and earnings suffered by working families and employers when families do not have the reliable child care they need.”
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