83% of PA Voters Support Funding Head Start
HARRISBURG (April 17, 2025) – Head Start provides an invaluable service to more than 750,000 children across all 50 states. In Pennsylvania alone, Head Start serves nearly 30,000 children at 806 centers and employs almost 10,000 staff members.
Over the past few weeks, five Head Start Regional Offices were closed, representing half of all regional offices across the country, including 22 states, six territories and 467 Tribal governments. More recently, federal Administration officials are proposing to eliminate the program in its entirety; a program, which should be noted, that an overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians support.
“We are incredibly saddened and deeply concerned about the future of Head Start,” said CEO/President of Community Services for Children, Deidra Vachier. “Funding cuts and the potential elimination of Head Start will hurt our most vulnerable children. Early learning opportunities provide critical cognitive, social, and emotional development, and Head Start offers those foundational skills to low-income families.”
Head Start is a program that provides working parents living in poverty with children under age five with a variety of services including: early learning classes for their children, connections to health care and support for these families to achieve self-sufficiency. And according to a recent poll by Susquehanna Polling and Research, 83% of Pennsylvania voters support the use of state and/or federal funds to pay for the Head Start program. The same poll showed that 98% of Pennsylvania voters believe that early childhood education is important and helps children lead healthy and productive lives.
“At a time when research has not only proven that early education provides life-long benefits to children who are provided the opportunity but that an overwhelming majority of voters believe that it is important, it is indefensible that funding cuts and potential elimination of such a vital program are on the table,” said the PA Head Start Association Executive Director, Kara McFalls. “Head Start is an important investment in our youngest learners, their families, our communities, and our nation.”
Research shows that Head Start improves educational outcomes, health, and social development for our most at-risk children and provides a safe, caring environment for the children of working Head Start families.
Head Start parents and guardians are working families, with 66% of them working, in job training, or currently in school. In fact, 84% of Head Start parents and guardians have a high school diploma, GED, vocational training, associates, baccalaureate, or advanced degree.
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About Pre-K for PA
Pre-K for PA launched in 2014 with the vision that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. Learn more atwww.prekforpa.org. State and federally funded Head Start programs are a core component of Pennsylvania’s publicly funded pre-k system.
HARRISBURG, PA (February 4, 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 early education workforce investments included in the Shapiro Administration’s 2025-26 state budget proposal.
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 Governor Josh Shapiro’s 2025-26 state budget proposal. ELPA operates four issue-based advocacy campaigns: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home, and Thriving PA.
Budget proposal takes direct action to address PA’s child care teacher crisis
“Start Strong PA celebrates the Shapiro Administration’s proposal to directly invest in a 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 $55 million recurring investment estimates an additional $1,000 per educator increase for licensed child care programs 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.
“Start Strong PA looks forward to working with the House and Senate to ensure these urgently needed funds are included in the final budget and to the extent that state budget resources are available, increasing the investment so we can more fully address the child care crisis and its impact on working families and employers.”
Shapiro proposal increases Pre-K Counts rates to address continuing teacher shortage; additional action needed for Head Start
“Pre-K for PA applauds the Shapiro Administration’s continued commitment to address the historic teacher staffing shortage in the Pre-K Counts program. The 2025-26 budget proposal includes $15 million in new state funding to help stabilize early learning providers by boosting per child rates to help combat inflationary pressures and staffing shortages caused by low wages.
“Opportunities for teachers to earn more in the K-12 system and other sectors have challenged Pre-K Counts providers to keep classrooms open and operate at full capacity. This investment is a critical next step in preserving state funded pre-k programs for our commonwealth’s youngest learners.
“However, we are disappointed that the Governor’s budget proposal fails to offer support for the commonwealth’s Head Start Supplemental programs that are facing similar staffing challenges. Pre-K for PA urges lawmakers to include increased funding in the final state budget to stabilize the Head Start workforce.
“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.”
Budget proposal also gives nod to significant workforce challenges in Early Intervention
“Early Intervention is a critical part of the Thriving PA campaign, 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. We appreciate the inclusion of a $16.2 million increase in the governor’s proposal for Early Intervention Part C (infants and toddlers) in the Department of Human Services, while noting significantly more dollars are needed to adequately deliver Part C EI to children in Pennsylvania. A total of $10 million of this overall investment aims to address key challenges in the sector including workforce shortages, and we urge policymakers to build on this momentum. The budget also includes a proposed increase of $14.6 million for Early Intervention Part B (age three to five) in the Department of Education budget.”
Fewer young children, families and pregnant women will be served by home visiting services due to continued flat funding and loss of federal funds
“The Childhood Begins at Home campaign is concerned the proposed 2025-26 budget does not account for the loss of federal funds expiring in June nor the continued rising costs of providing these life-changing services. Without any assurance that the state will account for rising costs and backfill federal dollars, this ultimately will mean fewer home visiting services for Pennsylvania families impacted by economic and social disparities.
“Home visitors are supportive partners who build a trusting relationship with families and help guide them through the early stages of having and raising a child. The evidence-based models show positive outcomes, from improving health for both children and adults to achieving economic self-sufficiency to reducing child maltreatment. Childhood Begins at Home will continue to work with policymakers in the legislature and the administration to ensure Pennsylvania does not unnecessarily see a reduction in families receiving and benefitting from evidence-based home visiting services.”
Governor Shapiro’s State Budget Proposal Includes:
- $57.7 million in additional funding for child care ($55 million in the proposed new Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item as well $1.6 million in Child Care Services and $1.1 million in Child Care Assistance line items).
- $17 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program.
- Level funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.
- 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.
- $16.2 million increase for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) program through DHS.
- $14.6 million increase for the Early Intervention Part B (age three to five) program through PDE.
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HARRISBURG (December 10, 2024) — The Pre-K for PA campaign joined Governor Shapiro, First Lady, and Lieutenant Governor Davis at the Pennsylvania Capitol tree lighting ceremony to mark the official start of the holiday season today. The 24-foot Douglas Fir Christmas tree from Crystal Springs Tree Farm in Lehighton, Carbon County, was decorated by pre-k students from all corners of the commonwealth who crafted hundreds of original ornaments.
Joining Governor Shapiro for the tree lighting ceremony were staff, students, and families from a Pre-K Counts classroom located at Hansel and Gretel Early Learning Center in Harrisburg.
“Access to high-quality pre-k yields significant benefits that help ensure children are ready to succeed. From understanding how to be an active learner to letter and number recognition, Pennsylvania’s high quality pre-k programs like Pre-K Counts and Head Start are building a solid foundation of learning for our next generation,” said Jen DeBell, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC), a principal partner of Pre-K for PA.
A skilled teaching workforce is a critical component to providing high-quality pre-k programs, yet the pay disparity between early childhood educators and educators in the K-12 system is significant and is creating an historic shortage of qualified teachers. This teacher shortage is closing classrooms and reducing the number of children who receive this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A recent Susquehanna Polling and Research poll showed that 64% of PA voters support the use of state funding to increase compensation for pre-k teachers to combat this staffing shortage.
“This holiday season, our wish is for our elected officials to prioritize early care and learning for our youngest learners, their families, the professionals in the industry, and the future of our Commonwealth,” continued DeBell.
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 that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. For more information www.prekforpa.org.
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HARRISBURG, PA (July 11, 2024) – Today, the principal partners of the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA Campaigns issued the following statements regarding Senate Bill 1001 that awaits the expected signature of Governor Shapiro to become the enacted 2024-25 Pennsylvania state budget.
No Child Care Recruitment and Retention Support Deepens PA’s Child Care Crisis and Lags Other States
“With a child care sector that is collapsing with classrooms and programs closing across the commonwealth due to the historic child care teacher shortage, the Start Strong PA Campaign is deeply disappointed by the lack of direct investment to help child care providers recruit and retain their workforce as part of the state budget bill.
“The staffing shortage within the child-care sector is driven by low wages. According to the Independent Fiscal Office (IFO), the average child-care teacher in Pennsylvania only earns $15.15 per hour. This average wage includes the impact of one-time federal child care stimulus funds. With the lack of direct state investment, it is unclear if even these wages can be sustained.
“More than 50 local chambers of commerce across Pennsylvania called for a state investment that directly helps child care providers attract and keep their teachers. These chamber leaders understand that alleviating the child care workforce shortage means classrooms can remain open or reopen, increasing the availability of child care for the tens of thousands of families that need it to remain in the workforce and contribute to Pennsylvania’s overall economy. Recent estimates show that gaps in our child care sector cost the commonwealth’s economy $6.65 Billion annually in lost wages, lost productivity and lost tax receipts.
“At least 18 states are directly investing in recruitment and retention strategies to solve the child care teacher shortage and ensure that child care supply can meet the demand from working families.
“The budget deal includes a tax credit for businesses that help employees pay for child care. This tax credit is a demand-side solution, helping families afford care. Pennsylvania must also invest in the supply side – stopping the exodus of child care teachers – for these tax credits to be effective.
“Child care teachers are the workforce behind the workforce. When families can’t get child care, their children suffer, their income drops and the state’s economy is shortchanged. In a time of severe labor shortages and billions in state budget surplus, the commonwealth’s failure to help child care providers recruit and retain these teachers is a tragic outcome.
Some Growth for Pre-K Counts and State Funding for Head Start but Workforce Challenges Will Remain
“The Pre-K for PA Campaign is relieved to see modest growth in the state’s publicly funded pre-k programs – PA Pre-K Counts and the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.
“The $15 Million increase for PA Pre-K Counts and $2.7 Million increase for Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program will make rate increases possible to pre-kindergarten providers to combat inflationary pressures and unrelenting staffing shortages. We are disappointed that the increase to PA Pre-K Counts is half of what Governor Shapiro proposed, and state support for Head Start continues to grow at a slower rate than Pre-K Counts.
“Inadequate wages across the early care and education sector are causing pre-k classrooms to close throughout the commonwealth. Pre-k teachers who have the same credentials earn roughly half of their (K-5) counterparts in public schools and face the tough choice of staying in their chosen profession as wages increase across other sectors. Future state investment is vital to continue to close this gap and ensure adequate staffing levels to operate state-funded pre-k programs at current-funded capacity.
“Currently, just over 78,000 three-and four-year-olds in Pennsylvania are eligible but do not have access to publicly-funded pre-k programs. Additional investment will be needed in future years to further mitigate the historic levels of teacher shortages in this competitive economy and ensure greater access to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our preschool learners.
“Access to pre-k continues to be front of mind for Pennsylvania voters with 95% of voters believing that early childhood education is an important issue and nearly 70% of voters specifically supporting increased state funding for pre-k access.”
Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA are initiatives of the broader Early Learning PA coalition that advocates for access to voluntary, high-quality early care and education and healthy development opportunities for all Pennsylvania children. Below is a summary of pertinent appropriations line items in SB 1001:
- $26.2 million in additional funding to maintain the status quo of payments in the subsidized child care system and the number of children served.
- Additional federal child care funding to meet the federally recommended child care subsidy reimbursement rate. This increase will help buffer inflationary pressures on child care providers that heavily participate in the subsidy system, however its impact on stabilizing the child care workforce will be limited.
- $15 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program to increase rates from $10,000 per child for a full-day slot to $10,500.
- $2.7 million in additional funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.
- $9.1 million increase for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) program through DHS. While this reflects the administration’s updated budget request, it does not address broader issues within the program, including worker shortages and a long-needed rate adjustment for providers.
- $32.9 million increase for the Part B Early Intervention program (age three to five) through PDE.
About Pre-K for PA
Pre-K for PA launched in 2014 with the vision that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. Learn more at www.prekforpa.org.
About Start Strong PA
Start Strong PA launched in 2019 to support healthy child development, working families, and the economy by increasing access to and affordability of high-quality child care programs for young children. Learn more at www.startstrongpa.org.
PA Legislative Latino Caucus, First Up, and Latino Educando Juntos Urge Investments Needed for Early Learning Teacher Recruitment and Retention
Warn teacher shortages will continue closing child care programs
Harrisburg, PA (May 7, 2024) PA Legislative Latino Caucus Chairman Rep. Danilo Burgos, Hispanic child care providers and families rallied today at the Capitol along with allies Sen. David Argall, Sen. Jimmy Dillon, Sen. Tim Kearney, Rep. Donna Bullock, Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler, Rep. Justin Flemming, Rep. Dane Watro, and other advocates to underscore how a growing early care and education teacher shortage, driven by low compensation, is closing classrooms and programs throughout Pennsylvania and driving up waitlists for working families.
Sen. David Argall (R- District 29) kicked off a diverse group of speakers detailing how child care and early learning are not only educational issues or family issues, but they are also part of the economy. “Child care providers have come to me and what they have told me is frightening. Businesses in my community are struggling to find workers, because families are struggling to find child care,” said Sen. Argall. “But this is not just a rural or suburban or city problem. This is a problem across Pennsylvania. There’s only one way to a solution, we have to work together.”
Ivelisse Eufracio, Owner/Director of Little All Stars Care Center in Luzerne County, opened her center with a vision to serve the Hazelton community, especially underserved Hispanic families. Unfortunately, Eufracio described her story not as one of triumph but instead as a struggle for survival, noting that not having her program at capacity impacts the community and also means she is not making ends meet to support her own family.
“My program is licensed for 32 children, but I can only safely care for eight children with my current staff. Since I opened my doors, I have been severely hindered by the lack of teaching staff.” Eufracio further explained, “factories near my program offer $18 an hour for jobs that require less training and fewer qualifications than teaching.”
Brendalis Lopez, a parent from Little All Stars proudly shared, “My child has benefited tremendously from wonderful instruction from a loving teacher who represents our home culture. I do not spend time at work worrying about my child. I love how much my child has grown in high-quality care.” Lopez pledged to stand with child care providers stating, “We all deserve to be paid in alignment with the benefits our work generates in educational gains, family stability, and economic returns. I hope that day comes soon [for child care teachers].”
Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D – District184) described the need for Pennsylvania to support a recruitment and retention proposal that would provide monthly payments to providers of up to $440 per child care employee for initiatives such as hiring bonuses, monthly wage increases, benefit packages, or retention bonuses for staff staying for a certain length of time or for staff achieving certain credentials or degrees.
“There are many important occupations in Pennsylvania, but I would argue that there are none more important than care professionals,” said Feidler. “I’m here today to say that as lawmakers we must do a better job of supporting this workforce. There are several states including Maine, Kentucky, and Nebraska that pay at or above the 75th percentile and have made additional investments in recruitment and retention programs for child care providers to solve this teacher shortage.”
In Philadelphia County, Damaris Alvarado-Rodriguez’s Center, Children’s Playhouse has 25 job openings and 166 children on their waiting list. “If we could pay competitive wages and fill those jobs, we could serve an additional 442 children a year,” said Alvarado-Rodriguez. “That is more than double what we currently serve.”
Alvarado-Rodriguez also cited updated data from the September 2023 Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Policy Lab survey of 677 child care providers (roughly 10 percent of PA licensed providers) showing more than 3,300 open positions statewide. She noted that if their positions were filled, those 677 providers could be serving nearly 16,500 more children.
Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D – District 5), Sen. Tim Kearney (D- District 26), Rep. Justin Flemming (D – District 105), and Rep. Dane Watro (R – District 116) all agreed that fixing the early learning teacher shortage must be a priority as it impacts all communities. “It is critical to provide our early learning teachers with the necessary support to keep them in the field. This industry is overlooked, undervalued, and under supported,” said Sen. Dillon. “Child care is truly the workforce behind the workforce.”
Sen. Dillon also cited The PA Chamber of Business and Industry and the Early Learning Investment Commission’s recently conducted employer child care impact survey that underscores that labor force issues are often deeply intertwined with child care challenges. According to this survey, released in February 2024, more than 80 percent of Pennsylvania employers surveyed said they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care. Almost 70% of employers surveyed said it is extremely or very important to help employees meet child care needs.
Rep. Danilo Burgos, PA Legislative Latino Caucus Chairman (D – District 197) encouraged legislators to continue to work together to build bipartisan support to further invest in the early childhood education workforce to ensure programs can recruit and retain the staff they need to meet the demand for child care and pre-k services for working families. “We are here today advocating for more funding for preschool, child care, and afterschool care,” said Rep. Burgos. “It [increased investment] will show that we care about Pennsylvania’s future.”
Rep. Donna Bullock (D – District 195) described the experience of seeing her mom running her child care and how that demonstrated the importance of a quality early childhood experience and the teachers that provide that experience. “Most times, child care providers are not just working eight hours days, they are working nine, ten hours and not getting paid for it. We are paying folks more to care for a car than for our most valuable resources, our children,” Rep. Bullock stated. “We must invest in the workers that are caring for and educating our children. It is unacceptable that we are not paying child care providers as the professionals they are.”
Citing the Bureau of Labor statistics, Carol Austin, Executive Director, First Up described just how underpaid and undervalued the industry is. “Given the significant return on investment funding early learning generates, it seems fiscally irresponsible to see this crisis and do nothing, and morally reprehensible to allow people responsible for significant economic output to receive the bottom two percent of all wages. Early educators should not be told they must work for nothing so that every other family but theirs can thrive.”
Austin wrapped up the event referencing a 2023 report that shows that gaps in Commonwealth’s child care system cost working families, employers, and taxpayers about $6.65 billion annually in lost earnings, productivity, and tax revenue stating, “Investing under $500 million to stop the loss of $6 billion seems like an easy choice.”
Specific investment priorities include:
- Increasing child care subsidy rates to the 75th percentile of the current price families pay for child care services to help alleviate some of the rising facility, food, utility, and supply costs for providers participating in Child Care Works.
- Increasing Pre-K Counts rates by $1,000 per slot to help address workforce challenges and inflationary pressures and increasing the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program’s rates by a proportional amount.
- Creating a child care teacher recruitment and retention initiative that would provide monthly payments of $440 per child care staff to providers maintaining a subsidy agreement with the Commonwealth for initiatives such as hiring bonuses, monthly wage increases, benefit packages, or retention bonuses for staff staying for a certain length of time or for staff achieving certain credentials or degrees. Such a program provides flexibility for providers to choose how to use these funds so that they can have the maximum impact in local communities. This will help alleviate the historic staffing crisis that is causing classrooms and entire programs to close and leave working families without access to child care.
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HARRISBURG – Today, the bicameral, bipartisan Early Childhood Education Caucus hosted a rally with child care and pre-K students, teachers and parents as well as other advocates to underscore the worsening impacts of the commonwealth’s early learning teacher shortage.
The caucus co-chairs, Sen. Pat Stefano (R-32), Sen. Judy Schwank (D-11), Rep. Pat Harkins (D-1) and Rep. Shelby Labs (R-143), are working to build bipartisan support for recruitment and retention investments that will help to remedy the teacher shortage and ensure that early learning supply can meet the demand from working families.
“We all understand that the state of child care in Pennsylvania needs to change,” Schwank said. “Low pay for childhood educators, long waitlists and high prices for parents are just a few of the major problems we need to address at the state level, and we have an excellent opportunity to do that in this year’s budget.”
Speakers detailed how low teacher compensation fuels the shortage which leads to a growing number of child care and pre-K classroom closures, and drives up waitlists for working families.
“This is an issue I have heard from early learning providers throughout my district,” said Stefano. “We must work together to prioritize funding to help the early learning sector attract and retain its workforce.”
Dr. Leah Spangler, chief executive officer (CEO) of The Learning Lamp Early Learning Centers, stated that child care in Pennsylvania is “on life support” as her organization is currently seeing 97 job openings and 546 children on the waiting list for care.
Spangler believes that with better pay leading to filled job openings, they would be able to serve an additional 1,286 children. She also noted that child care programs cannot pay wages that match those of other businesses, like convenience stores and grocery retailers, and that this causes a staff turnover rate of more than 50% annually.
“Other states have established revenue streams to better support their early learning workforce and it’s time we do the same,” Stefano said. “Though not everyone in the commonwealth has a young child at home, the aggregate effects of the early learning teacher shortage impact everyone. When a parent wants to work but cannot find child care and then needs to stay home full-time, our workforce, and thus our economy, suffers.”
Tim Fallon, CEO emeritus of Lehigh Valley Public Media and member of the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission called child care “the workforce behind the workforce.”
He presented findings from a new employer survey from the PA Chamber of Business and Industry and the Early Learning Investment Commission showing that 80% of Pennsylvania employers surveyed said they have moderate or significant recruitment and retention issues due to child care.
“Supporting families means making sure child care is open and available across the Commonwealth,” said Labs. “We must invest in our early learning teachers now, or we will see more classrooms close in the future, which will only serve to harm our children’s development.”
Other speakers included Indiana County Sheriff Robert Fyock, a member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids, and retired Army Lt. Gen. Dennis Benchoff, who spoke on behalf of Mission: Readiness.
Harkins referred to the business model of child care and early learning as “clearly broken” and called the Shapiro Administration’s budget proposals to increase child care subsidy a crucial step forward.
“It’s also critical that we tackle the teacher shortage side of the child care crisis head-on. Looking to other state models of how to effectively invest in recruitment and retention initiatives for the child care sector must be a top commonwealth priority,” Harkins said.
The event was held by the co-chairs in partnership with Start Strong PA, Pre-K for PA and the Pennsylvania Early Learning Investment Commission, to support of further investment in early childhood education across the commonwealth. This budget cycle, the caucus is focused on supporting the early childhood education workforce to better stabilize and meet the demand for child care and pre-K services for working families.
Click here to watch video of the event.
