Pre-K for PA Urges Leaders in Harrisburg to Negotiate a Budget that Boosts Early Learning
Harrisburg, PA (July 1)—The Pre-K for PA campaign, along with the Early Learning PA coalition, today called on leaders in Harrisburg to continue negotiating a budget that builds on the increased investment in early childhood education.
The coalition partners called the budget passed by the House and Senate on Tuesday, which included a $30 million increase, a good first step. That increase would serve about 3,500 more 3- and 4-year-olds who can benefit from high-quality pre-k programs. The campaign urged more significant investments so more children can benefit in the coming school year.
Nearly 70 percent of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds – more than 200,000 children in all – don’t have access to high-quality pre-k. The campaign supports an investment of an additional $120 million in fiscal 2015-16, which would allow another 14,000 children to benefit.
The principal partners of the Pre-K for PA campaign (listed below) issued the following statement:
“Our coalition leaders understand that negotiations can be difficult, particularly when it comes to expanding investments, but we know that high-quality pre-k works and the failure to invest at a higher level will have negative impacts on many children. An investment of $120 million this coming fiscal year and in the subsequent three state budgets will set us on a path that will allow every child born today who is at-risk of school failure and some middle class kids access to high-quality pre-k.
“Our coalition members have spoken to dozens of lawmakers who have enthusiastically voiced their support for investing more in our state’s youngest learners, far too many of whom are left out of this budget. Gov. Wolf’s original budget proposal only increases access to 1 in 4 of our 3- and 4-year-olds, which is why our commitment to high-quality pre-k investments needs to be a long-term one that goes beyond a single budget year.
“We urge lawmakers and Gov. Wolf to keep in mind those children who will start kindergarten behind their peers because they missed out on the benefits high-quality pre-k provides. There are no do-overs for these children.
“We encourage Gov. Wolf and all legislative leaders to advance negotiations on behalf of each kid who would gain access to high-quality pre-k and craft a budget that adequately invests in this proven learning resource.”
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. We will not endorse nor oppose candidates, but rather we will advocate on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and communities. For more information www.prekforpa.org.
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The Budget passed by the House last week was passed in the Senate today. Unfortunately, the level of pre-k funding it includes for fiscal 2015-16 does not go far enough to expand access to high-quality pre-k urgently needed for Pennsylvania’s families.
While we at the Pre-K for PA campaign are very heartened that House and Senate leaders boosted pre-k funding considerably and we recognize the actions are the first step in the budget process, the budget falls short of the enormity of the need to make sure children start school ready to learn.
With fewer than 20 percent of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds able to access publicly funded, high-quality pre-k programs, the pace of expansion must be hastened. At a minimum, the fiscal 2015-16 investment should be $120 million.
Your continued support is so valuable as we reach out to the governor and all legislators to work with them toward reaching a final budget agreement that makes the level of investment in pre-k that we all know is needed.
This weekend the PA House of Representatives is expected to pass a 2015-2016 state budget that authorizes no new taxes yet grows funding for high-quality pre-k by $30 million, which would provide access to approximately 3,500 more children. The $30 million investment is significantly less than the $120 million proposed by the Administration that would serve approximately 14,000 additional children.
The Pennsylvania Senate will vote on this measure early next week and send it to the Governor’s desk where a veto is expected. This will set up a budget standoff for early July where your voice will be critical in advocacy efforts to help ensure greater funding for high-quality pre-k access in a final state budget.
The Pre-K for PA campaign and its partners are leading the charge in Harrisburg on behalf of the Commonwealth’s youngest learners. Please check for emails from Pre-K for PA and visit the website next week for the most up-to-date information on how you can lend support.
Report Shows Young Pennsylvanians Not Prepared to Serve in Military
Retired Generals Call for Better Access to High-Quality Pre-K
Erie, PA (May 28, 2015)—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. The regional legislative 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.
Dunlavey released the new report calling for better access to high quality pre-kindergarten for the sake of future national security. The new report documented how high-quality pre-kindergarten can help children succeed in school, stay physically fit, and avoid criminal involvement, opening the doors to college, careers and the military for those who choose to serve.
Major General Dunlavey, a former Erie County Judge, cited new Pentagon data that 72 percent of young Pennsylvanians are unable to serve in the military for three primary reasons: they are too poorly educated, they are physically unfit, or they have a criminal record. He emphasized research included in the report that quality pre-kindergarten experiences enable children to build the pre-math, pre-literacy and social skills that are vital to academic success when they begin school, making it less likely they will fall behind or eventually drop out.
“This high level of ineligibility among our youth is unacceptable as our current military involves complex technology and systems unimagined in past generations,” said General Dunlavey. “We need young men and women who can think critically, work well in teams, and make decisions under pressure. Increasing access to high-quality pre-K programs will result in more kids being prepared for college, the workforce and the military down the road.”
According to data cited in the report, more than 200,000 three- and four-year-olds lack access to high-quality pre-kindergarten in Pennsylvania, and more than 4,200 three- and four-year-olds lack access in Erie County alone.
Local legislators State Senator Sean Wiley, State Representatives Flo Fabrizio and Curt Sonney came out to the legislative breakfast in support of Pre-K for PA.
“It is our duty to engage anyone who will listen on the value of early education as the future of this commonwealth,” said State Senator Wiley.
“The social ills of this country could be eradicate by good education,” said Flo Fabrizio. “We are all on the same team and we’re going to fund this, but we have to fund it adequately. You won’t find any legislator that disagrees with Pre-K. It’s imperative that we do all we can at a young age.”
State Representatives Pat Harkins and Ryan Bizarro were unable to attend, but have been strong supporters of the Pre-K for PA campaign.
“I know that quality Pre K is the bedrock of our going forward with any education initiatives,” said Representative Pat Harkins. “Everything we do as a society is dependent on how we educate our children and statistics show that investing in the first five years of a child’s life reap huge rewards in the long run.”
“If we want to make sure Pennsylvania succeeds, we’ll give our youngest learners the tools they need to grow into confident, intelligent adults,” said Representative Ryan Bizarro. “We know that about 90 percent of brain development occurs between the time a child is born and age 5, so it only makes sense to invest more in our young students. For every dollar we put into high-quality early learning programs, we save as much as $17.
“I applaud Governor Wolf for planning to spend $120 million more on preschool for our three- and four-year-olds, helping them to learn the skills they need to stay off government assistance and out of jail, and instead become upstanding contributors to our society.”
Governor Wolf has proposed increasing funding by $120 million in the coming fiscal year so about 14,000 more Pennsylvania 3- and 4-year-olds are served by high quality pre-k.
Other major findings from the Mission: Readiness report entitled, The Military Gets It: High-quality pre-kindergarten is crucial for youth readiness and a centerpiece of the military’s child development system, include:
- One in five students nationwide and 16 percent in Pennsylvania do not graduate from high school on time.
- Of those who do graduate and try to join the military, more than 1 in 5 nationwide and 22 percent in Pennsylvania cannot score highly enough on the military’s entrance exam to be able to serve.
The report highlights studies of high-quality early education programs that show impressive education and crime prevention outcomes:
- Participants in New Jersey’s preschool program, which serves children across the state, were three-fourths of a year ahead in math and two-thirds of a year ahead in literacy when they reached the fourth and fifth grades. They were also 31 percent less likely to be in special education and 40 percent less likely to be held back in school.
- Participants in the Chicago Child-Parent Centers preschool programs, which have served over 100,000 at-risk children, were 29 percent more likely to have graduated from high school, and those who were left out of the program were 70 percent more likely than participants to have been arrested for a violent crime by age 18.
Mission: Readiness is the nonpartisan national security organization of more than 500 retired generals and admirals calling for smart investments in America’s children. It operates under the umbrella of the nonprofit Council for a Strong America. For more information www.missionreadiness.org.
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.
Early Childhood Action Day Draws Advocates Rallying for Pre-K; Gov. Wolf Addresses Energetic Crowd
New National Report Shows PA Failing to Make Gains in Pre-k Access
Harrisburg, PA – Pre-K for PA supporters and early childhood advocates from across the state gathered in Harrisburg today for the annual Early Childhood Action Day. Gov. Tom Wolf and Acting Human Services Secretary Ted Dallas led a special kickoff event in the Forum Auditorium in the morning, followed by an afternoon rally in the Capitol Rotunda.
“I’m proud to welcome the over 200 pre-k and early childhood education advocates to the Capitol today that are here to encourage the General Assembly to meet the need for more high-quality early education programs for thousands of children across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “I value the support of the strong Pre-K for PA coalition for my budget, which makes historic and significant investments in early childhood education. My proposed $120 million increase in high-quality early childhood education is projected to create 14,000 new slots for children to enroll in early childhood education – growing enrollment by 75 percent.”
Gov. Wolf has proposed increasing state funding for high-quality pre-k by $120 million in the coming fiscal year so about 14,000 more Pennsylvania 3- and 4-year-olds can benefit from this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.
“Over the past year and a half, Pre-K for PA has been leading the push for expansion alongside the thousands of early childhood advocates who have been fighting for kids’ access to early learning for so many years,” said Jodi Askins, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC), a founding partner in the Pre-K for PA campaign.
“We are encouraged by the governor’s proposal and enthusiastic support of individual legislators from across the state, but urge action in this budget year. Each year that passes without a substantial commitment to early childhood education, another group of young learners is missing the crucial elements of development only a young mind can experience.”
A new report out Monday from the National Institute for Early Education Research (NIEER) shows Pennsylvania is failing to make any notable progress on expanding pre-k access. NIEER’s latest “State of Preschool” report shows:
- Pennsylvania dropped to 15th in the nation in pre-k access for 3-year olds in 2013-14, down from 14th the prior year.
- Pennsylvania remains stuck at 30th in the nation in pre-k access for 4-year olds – the same ranking we held the prior year.
The Rotunda rally included: Sen. Lloyd Smucker (R-Lancaster); Rep. Mark Longietti (D-Mercer); Steven Wray, Executive Director of the Economy League of Philadelphia; Michelle Figlar, Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children and incoming deputy secretary for Pennsylvania’s Office of Child Development & Early Learning; early childhood educators; and parents.
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. We will not endorse nor oppose candidates, but rather we will advocate on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and communities. For more information www.prekforpa.org.
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ReadyNation Report Outlines Business Case for PA to Invest More in Early Childhood Education
HARRISBURG (April 15, 2015) – A ReadyNation report examining the benefits of quality early learning on the economy was released today as business leaders from across Pennsylvania convened for the annual Early Learning Investment Commission’s (ELIC) Economic Summit on Early Childhood Investment.
The report, Business Case in Pennsylvania for Early Childhood Investments, outlines the business case for investing in pre-k. Pennsylvania businesses are in need of job-ready, team-capable and well-prepared employees, and high-quality early learning programs help build the foundation for these attributes.
“As business leaders, we know that we get better employees in the long-term when we prioritize high-quality early childhood education,” said Nick Scott Jr., a Pennsylvania business owner (Scott Enterprises, Erie) who serves on the Pre-K for PA Executive Leadership Council. “An investment in our youngest learners is an investment in our state’s economy, and right now we are falling behind.”
The report finds that smart, proven investments in Pennsylvania’s youngest learners are critically needed to protect the commonwealth’s competitive edge in a global marketplace. Such investments:
- Benefit children and parents: Twenty-three percent of children in Pennsylvania under six are from low-income, working families, yet only 5 percent of 3-year-olds and 13 percent of 4-year-olds are enrolled in state-funded pre-k programs.
- Prepare children for the classroom: Early deficits are reflected in school, where at-risk students who have missed out on early education opportunities often struggle to keep up with classmates, even from the first day of kindergarten. Many students fail to catch up: a full 44 percent of Pennsylvania fourth graders perform below grade level in math, and 40 percent perform below grade level in reading.
- Help earn caps and gowns: Fourteen percent of high school students in Pennsylvania still have not donned a cap and gown after four years. And among high school graduates, only 38 percent meet the ACT College Readiness Benchmarks in the four core areas (English, reading, math, and science) and may not have the skills necessary for postsecondary education.
- Aid in college and careers: By 2020, 63 percent of jobs and 62 percent of job vacancies in Pennsylvania will require postsecondary education. Longitudinal studies of the Abecedarian
project have shown that high-quality early learning from six months to age 5 can improve students’ rates of college completion. Higher education often means higher earnings: one study estimated that the additional lifetime income if Pennsylvania’s dropouts had graduated with their class in 2011 was over $4 billion.
Today’s ELIC summit convenes nearly 200 business and civic leaders from across the commonwealth to discuss early learning and child development. The commission is made up of governor-appointed business leaders who understand the value of investing in early learning as a means to build an effective, competitive workforce and a stronger economy.
ReadyNation is the preeminent business leader organization working to strengthen business and the economy through effective investments in children and youth. For more information, visit www.readynation.org.
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. The campaign’s 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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