2022-23 State Budget: Growth for Pre-k, Child Care and Home Visitation
Budget deal stops short of recurring funds to raise child care wages
HARRISBURG, PA (July 8, 2022) – Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, issued the following statements regarding the final 2022-23 Pennsylvania state budget. ELPA operates four issue-based advocacy campaigns: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home and Thriving PA.
Budget Expands Pre-K Access and Boosts Rates for Providers
“The Pre-K for PA campaign applauded the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor Wolf for once again expanding state funding for high-quality pre-k. The 2022-23 state budget includes $60 million in new state funding for PA Pre-K Counts and $19 million for PA’s Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. Over the past eight years, investment in these critical early learning programs have increased by nearly 180%, serving tens of thousands more eligible children.
“Public investment in high-quality pre-k has become a consensus issue in Pennsylvania; aligning political parties, rural, urban and suburban communities, and families across the commonwealth on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that improves the life chances of Pennsylvania’s children. State leaders including Governor Wolf and Senator Pat Browne deserve recognition for their role in Pennsylvania’s continued expansion of Pre-K for PA. According to a recent poll, 90% of likely Pennsylvania voters said that formal early childhood care and education are important in helping set kids on a path toward leading healthy and productive lives.
“The $79 million expansion will provide high-quality pre-k to over 2,300 additional young learners as well as increase rates for providers to support the early care and education workforce and address rising costs. The Pre-K for PA campaign thanks our more than 20,000 supporters for lending their voices to advance the power of pre-k to more of Pennsylvania’s youngest learners.”
Budget Utilizes One-Time Funds to Stabilize Child Care Workforce
“The Start Strong PA Campaign appreciates the General Assembly’s effort to stabilize child care programs by including $90 million in one-time discretionary American Rescue Plan Act federal funding to support bonuses for child care staff. These funds will provide desperate child care programs the short-term solutions they need to alleviate the workforce recruitment and retention crisis.
“Unfortunately, this budget misses the opportunity to provide long-term solutions to the tens of thousands of families who are struggling to find child care to return to work, as it fails to address the root cause of Pennsylvania’s devastating child care crisis – a history of low wages, resulting in thousands of open staffing positions and more than 1,600 closed classrooms. Currently there are 32,400 children sitting on waiting lists in child care programs as a result of 7,000 vacant child care staffing positions statewide.
“Even though child care professionals have a significant impact on our children, their families, and our economic recovery, they make, on average, less than $11.00 an hour. This budget does nothing to raise child care wages on an on-going basis to help solve for this systemic issue. It is not surprising that this industry, with 50% of professionals who work in it qualifying for government benefits, cannot compete for staff with other industries offering higher wages for less specialized skills.
“This budget also increases state child care funding by $25 million, allowing families currently enrolled in Child Care Works to continue receiving a child care subsidy up to 300% of poverty. These new funds should also have the flexibility to support the 160,978 children younger than age 5 who are eligible but have yet to be served. Start Strong PA partners have long encouraged the state to advertise Child Care Works to ensure every family who needs the financial support is aware and thus able to enroll their children in child care.
“Sadly, Pennsylvania’s elected leadership has fallen short on ensuring the availability of sustainable child care funds to stabilize the industry. Without a stabilized child care system, families will continue to struggle to find and afford high-quality child care significantly impacting their ability to return to work and remain employed.”
Budget Makes Historic Investment in Evidence-Based Home Visiting
“Childhood Begins at Home is pleased with the historic increase of $15 million for evidence-based home visiting in the Department of Human Services budget to serve an additional 3,800 pregnant women, children and families. In addition, $1 million is earmarked for the Nurse-Family Partnership line item to serve 200 more families.
“Voluntary, evidence-based home visiting programs mentor parents and others raising children and provide supports to address substance use disorders, develop school readiness, improve maternal and child health, promote economic self-sufficiency, and reduce abuse and neglect.
“Policymakers made a wise decision to diversify funding and meet families where they are in counties across the state so more parents and their children can access the research-proven benefits the home visiting models deliver.
“With this investment, we can increase service levels beyond the 5% of Pennsylvania families currently served.”
Funding Increases Included for Early Intervention Programs
“Our campaign is pleased the budget includes an increase of $9.3 million for the Early Intervention Part C (infants and toddlers) program in the Department of Human Services budget. Some budget documents show an increase of $12.2 million, which is also accurate, as it does not include additional stimulus dollars. The Early Intervention Part B (age-three-to-five) program in the Department of Education budget is receiving a $10 million increase.”
In summary, the final 2022-23 Pennsylvania state budget included:
- $60 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program, which will serve over 2,300 additional young children.
- $19 million in additional funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.
- Level funding for the state Child Care Assistance line item.
- $25 million in Child Care Services specifically to serve families currently enrolled in Child Care Works up to 300% of poverty or the state median income (whichever is lower).
- $90 million in federal funding to provide one-time child care staff recruitment and retention bonuses.
- $15 million in additional funding for evidence-based home visiting in the Community-Based Family Center line item and $1 million for the Nurse-Family Partnership line item.
- $9.3 million for the Early Intervention Part C (infants and toddlers) program through DHS (this figure also appears as $12.2 million when stimulus dollars are not included).
- $10 million for the Early Intervention Part B (age-three-to-five) program through PDE.
- Creation of a Pennsylvania Child Care Tax Credit equal to 30% of the federal credit to support working families.
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.
About Childhood Begins At Home
Childhood Begins At Home is a statewide campaign launched in 2017 to help policymakers and the public understand the value of evidence-based home visiting and support public investments in the programs. Learn more at www.childhoodbeginsathome.org.
About Thriving PA
Thriving PA is a perinatal and child health campaign launched in 2021 and is working to ensure each birthing person, infant, and toddler in Pennsylvania has the opportunity for affordable, quality health care access. Learn more at www.thrivingpa.org.
Child Development Centers Welcomes State Senator Dan Laughlin and Local Officials to New Downtown Site
Erie, PA (June 1, 2022) – Head Start and Keystone STAR 4 child care provider Child Development Centers, Inc. welcomed PA State Senator Dan Laughlin (R-49), Erie County First Assistant District Attorney Jessica Reger and Nick Scott, Vice President, Scott Enterprises, today for a tour and conversation at its new Downtown location at 121 East 10th Street in Erie. The officials discussed the ongoing historic workforce shortages the early care and education sector faces that are threatening both pre-kindergarten and child care capacity in Pennsylvania. Also participating in the discussion were Rina Irwin, Chief Executive Officer at Child Development Centers, Inc.; Bruce Clash, Pennsylvania State Director, Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; and Tracy Weaver, Outreach and Communications Coordinator, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC).
Rina Irwin, Chief Executive Officer of Child Development Centers, Inc., emphasized the impact that staffing shortages are having on the children the nonprofit serves across the region. “Consistent, positive interactions in the classroom are vital to a child’s healthy development and academic success. Turnover places a strain on our administrative staff as we work to promote seamless transitions to ensure that each child’s developmental and academic growth remain uninterrupted throughout this process.”
Throughout Erie County and the entire commonwealth, early learning providers are experiencing significant staffing shortages due to a lack of applicants, in part because the average child care worker makes only $10.69 per hour. A March 2022 survey of nearly 1,000 PA child care providers indicated that these low wages are not only impacting the child care teachers, but also are driving a state-wide staffing crisis. This crisis has resulted in over 32,400 children currently sitting on waiting lists for a child care slot and nearly 7,000 open child care staff positions. More than 30,000 additional children could be served if child care programs were fully staffed.
Speakers made it clear that the child care staffing crisis is very real and impacting local families’ ability to access care they need in order to work. Erie County providers responding to the survey reported 220 open staffing positions. Those 34 programs could serve 823 more children if they were fully staffed.
Nick Scott, Vice President of Scott Enterprises in Erie, said, “One thing that became clear during the COVID-19 pandemic is how crucial early care and education programs are to a family’s ability to work. A lack of child care is a barrier to our community’s economic recovery because it impacts not only working families, but also employers’ ability to hire the workforce they need.”
The panel stressed the need for direct action to boost wages for early care and education professionals. Given that Governor Wolf’s budget proposal flat funds Pennsylvania’s Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance line items for the third consecutive year, advocates are urging state policymakers to allocate $115 million in sustainable state and/or federal funds to provide a $2 per hour wage increase for teachers and staff. This would help child care providers attract new teachers and retain their current workers.
Expanding access to state-funded high-quality pre-k for more eligible children was also discussed. Erie County First Assistant District Attorney Jessica Reger noted the significant long-term research showing that young children who participate in high-quality early learning programs are less likely to be held back in school, are more likely to graduate from high school and are less likely to have problematic social and self-control behavior that can lead to later juvenile and adult crime. She described important benefits that children receive when early learning providers engage parents to help their children become eager learners. “Healthy child development and being ready to enter school put children on the path to success instead of delinquency,” she said. “Law enforcement leaders know that our best strategy to increase public safety is to expand programs like high-quality pre-k and child care.”
Governor Wolf’s proposed 2022-23 state budget includes a $60 million increase for Pre-K Counts and $10 million increase for the Head Start State Supplemental Assistance Program, which continues the tradition of expanding access to high quality pre-k. This new funding will serve approximately 2,300 additional children in these high-quality early learning programs and would provide a rate increase for providers to increase teacher compensation, bolster the early education workforce and enhance program quality.
Localized data was also provided showing that 81 percent of the 5,990 eligible children under age five in Erie County—or 4,840 children—are not served by Child Care Works (CCW), the Pennsylvania state subsidized child care program based on family income. Additionally, 2,165 children–or 48 percent of eligible children–do not have access to high-quality publicly funded pre-k in Erie County.
Early Care and Education in Governor Wolf’s 2022-23 State Budget Proposal
HARRISBURG, PA (February 9, 2022) – Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, issued the following statements regarding Governor Tom Wolf’s 2022-23 state budget proposal. ELPA operates four issue-based advocacy campaigns: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home and Thriving PA.
Wolf Proposal Continues to Expand Pre-K Access
Pre-K for PA applauds the $60 million state funding increase for Pre-K Counts and $10 million increase for Head Start Supplemental Assistance as proposed by Gov. Wolf in the 2022-23 state budget. This funding continues the commonwealth’s tradition and Gov. Wolf’s unwavering commitment of expanding access to high-quality pre-k. This $70 million proposal expansion could provide this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to more than 2,300 additional young learners.
Research shows that high-quality pre-k benefits children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development and confirms the commonwealth’s investment in pre-k pays dividends for the children fortunate enough to access it. This investment is not only essential for our children, but high-quality early education supports labor force participation, healthy families and a globally competitive workforce of the future. By increasing pre-k access and opening the door to more families, our economic recovery reaps the benefits.
Pre-K for PA now urges the legislature to include the full $70 million for high-quality pre-k in the state budget— Pennsylvania’s youngest learners depend on it.
Budget Proposal Fails to Adequately Invest in Child Care
The Wolf Administration’s budget proposal is an inadequate response to the current child care crisis and misses an important opportunity to help working families in search of affordable high-quality care. Furthermore, failure to fully stabilize the child care sector jeopardizes the efforts of Pennsylvania businesses trying to rehire their labor force. Child care programs are closing classrooms and entire facilities due to teacher and staff shortages. Child care staff are overworked and underpaid with the average child care teacher making less than $11 per hour.
The Governor’s budget proposal does utilize federal funds to sustain the current fiscal year’s child care subsidy rate increase, reduction in parent co-payments and incentives for providing non-traditional hour care. While these steps are important, they are not sufficient, especially in light of flat funding for Pennsylvania’s Child Care Services and Child Care Assistance line items for the third consecutive year.
Start Strong PA urges state policymakers to allocate a portion of the projected year-end surplus of $2.8 billion to address staff recruitment and retention and increase access to quality care for working families, specifically for infants and toddlers.
Governor’s Home Visiting Proposal Marks Recommitment to Investments
Childhood Begins at Home is pleased with the $15 million increase for home visiting in the Department of Human Services (DHS) budget to serve an additional 3,800 pregnant women, children, and families. Voluntary evidence-based home visiting, funded in part by the Community-Based Family Center line, is backed by decades of research. The programs have been a lifeline for families in every legislative district during the pandemic.
The six state-funded models that deliver evidence-based home visiting are currently competitively applying for contracts as part of Pennsylvania’s Family Support Programs, which is a crucial part of the equation in serving more families. Following two years of level funding, the campaign is pleased to see Gov. Wolf’s proposed investment that restarts his commitment to increasing service levels beyond the 5% of Pennsylvania families currently served.
Address Highlights Importance of Perinatal and Child Health
When mothers are healthy, children are healthy. That is why ensuring individuals have access to insurance before, during, and after their baby’s birth is vitally important and can have lasting impacts on health outcomes. The proposed state budget includes funding to expand the postpartum coverage period in Medicaid from 60 days to 12 months, which the Thriving PA campaign welcomes. Medicaid is a significant source of insurance for Pennsylvania women and birthing individuals— especially for women of color— so expanding coverage to a full year postpartum is a vital step towards closing racial and health disparities.
Additionally, we must ensure all children birth through age five with developmental delays are identified, referred to and accepted for the services they need to reach their fullest potential. The proposed state budget includes an increase of $11.5 million for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) program in the Department of Human Services budget, which includes $1.2 million to specifically add an eligibility category for tracking children in early intervention with mothers who screen positive for maternal depression or anxiety. The Early Intervention Part B (age three to five) program in the Department of Education (PDE) budget is level-funded in the governor’s proposal.
Governor Wolf’s state budget proposal included:
- $60 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program.
- $10 million in additional funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. Together, this $70 million expansion could serve approximately 2,300 additional young children.
- Level funding for the state Child Care Assistance and Child Care Services line items.
- $77.7 million in federal funding to sustain child care subsidy base rates.
- $44.3 million in federal funding to sustain the reduction in out-of-pocket family co-payments.
- $6.1 million in federal child care funding to sustain the incentive for providing non-traditional hour care.
- $30 million in state funding to provide state employees with increased access to and affordability of child care through the Department of General Services.
- $15 million in additional funding for evidence-based home visiting in the Community-Based Family Center line item as well as $8 million in one-time federal stimulus funds specified for home visiting.
- Funding allocated for postpartum coverage extension for women in Medicaid from 60 days to 12 months.
- $11.5 million in increased funding for the Early Intervention Part C (infant and toddler) program through DHS, with $1.2 million allocated for children eligible for tracking when their mothers have a positive screen for postpartum depression or anxiety.
- Level-funding for the Part B Early Intervention program (age three to five) offered 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.
About Childhood Begins At Home
Childhood Begins At Home is a statewide campaign launched in 2017 to help policymakers and the public understand the value of evidence-based home visiting and support public investments in the programs. Learn more at www.childhoodbeginsathome.org.
About Thriving PA
Thriving PA is a perinatal and child health campaign launched in 2021 and is working to ensure each birthing person, infant, and toddler in Pennsylvania has the opportunity for affordable, quality health care access. Learn more at www.thrivingpa.org.
HARRISBURG, PA (June 25, 2021) – The principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, believes the commonwealth’s economic recovery hinges on helping working families by prioritizing greater state investments in high-quality pre-k, child care and evidence-based home visiting. ELPA operates four issue-based advocacy campaigns: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home and Thriving PA. Reaction statements from three of these campaigns regarding the FY 2021-22 state budget follow:
PRE-K
“Pre-K for PA applauds the $25 million in new state funding for Pre-K Counts and $5 million for Head Start Supplemental Assistance as part of the 2021-22 PA State Budget. This funding continues the commonwealth’s tradition of expanding access to high-quality pre-k – providing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to more than 3,200 additional young learners.
“Research shows that high-quality pre-k benefits children’s cognitive, social and emotional development. A new study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill confirmed that the commonwealth’s investment in pre-k pays dividends for the children fortunate enough to access pre-k through the Pre-K Counts program. In language and math skills, the study showed that these kids outperformed their kindergarten peers who did not enjoy access—an advantage that equated to four to five months of learning gains. Even with this budget increase, more than 100,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds still lack access to high-quality pre-k.”
CHILD CARE
“The General Assembly and the Wolf Administration unfortunately missed the opportunity to prioritize families who are struggling to return to work. Ignoring recommendations developed with input from over 1,000 child care providers and parents, Pennsylvania’s elected leadership has fallen significantly short on ensuring American Rescue Plan child care funds are used to help families find and afford high-quality child care and to stabilize the industry.
“Given that 70% of Pennsylvania children under the age of five had all adults in their household in the labor force prior to the pandemic, high-quality child care is an essential workforce support. That workforce must be able to return to work for Pennsylvania to recover from the pandemic’s economic devastation.
“We now call on the Wolf Administration to prioritize and implement our recommendations for Pennsylvania’s $1.2 billion in American Rescue Plan child care funding. With nearly 700 child care programs permanently closed and over 350 temporarily closed, families are struggling to find child care. Those child care providers that have managed to stay open are still incurring additional pandemic-related costs while operating significantly under capacity and are struggling to attract and retain teachers.
“Not only is there less child care capacity in the system, only 42% of certified child care capacity currently meets high-quality standards. And only 39% of infants and toddlers that receive subsidized care attend programs that have met high-quality standards. High-quality care and education mean safer, healthier children and are critical to maximizing the period of a child’s most rapid brain growth.
“Start Strong PA’s recommendations for American Rescue Plan child care funding will stabilize, strengthen and ultimately secure the child care industry. This industry is critical to the success of our economic recovery.”
EVIDENCE-BASED HOME VISITING
“On behalf of the pregnant women, children, and families who would benefit the most from evidence-based home visiting – especially those disproportionately impacted by the pandemic – Childhood Begins at Home is dismayed that there is no increase in the state budget for these voluntary services backed by decades of research.
“Without funding increases to reach more Pennsylvania families, the unmet need remains at a staggering 95%. The Community-Based Family Centers line will be level-funded, and the Nurse-Family Partnership line will receive a minimal increase to restore the line to its prior level due to a slight reduction resulting from the state using enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) funding last year.
“Throughout budget negotiations, policymakers emphasized the infusion of federal stimulus dollars to inform state spending decisions. Of the total amount of one-time state funds Pennsylvania received from the American Rescue Plan ($7.3 billion), home visiting gets less than .02% (or a paltry $1.3 million) through the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program. This funding has yet to be distributed to programs that received no aid during the COVID-19 pandemic, and is limited in its use and timeframe to spend these dollars.
“Only pennies on the dollar for evidence-based home visiting are coming in federally. It adds insult to injury that policymakers in the legislative and administrative branches did not step up and recognize constituents would benefit from the same services that have been a lifeline for so many during the last 15 months.
“While states’ use of the ARP funds is flexible, the federal stimulus funding for evidence-based home visiting would not even reach one family in each of Pennsylvania’s 253 legislative districts.
“From birth to age five, brain growth is rapid, learning is happening, and our coalition of advocates is committed to ensuring that families can access it in high-quality, developmentally appropriate settings. In Pennsylvania, funding has not been prioritized to ensure the resources are there to offer these irreplaceable opportunities, creating deep inequity among children and their families at a very early age. We, and our tens of thousands of supporters, will continue to urge lawmakers to invest in early learning boldly – it is an urgent necessity.”
LATROBE, PA (June 2, 2021) – Latrobe Kinder-Schull welcomed PA State Senator Kim Ward and local leaders today for a virtual tour and conversation on the challenges of providing pre-k during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local leaders spoke to Senator Ward about the continued need to serve the more than 2,195 eligible children across Westmoreland County who still lack access to this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.
“You don’t have to sell me on the importance of early education, I’m already sold on that,” Senator Ward said. “I think if we are not taking care of our young kids, we are derelict in our duty, if we’re not giving them the best start that we can.”
Eva Wood, Director at Latrobe Kinder-Schull offered a glimpse into life at an early learning center during COVID—describing both visually and verbally how providers have been supporting our children, families, and businesses during this unique year. Joining her in the discussion were Briana Tomack, President & CEO at Greater Latrobe-Laurel Valley Chamber of Commerce, Shirley Hough, Director at Our Buddy’s Place, Mary Anna Pitner, Director at SPHS Child Learning Center and Lindsey Ramsey and Cristina Codario at Trying Together.
“We need to help childcare and preschool programs reach high quality, and in order to do that there are financial burdens that have to be hurdled,” said Wood. “I think with providing that financial support, facilities will be able to reach those standards.”
Speakers made it clear that despite the challenges associated with COVID, early care and education is working and is supported by the Latrobe community. Briana Tomack, who participated in the discussion, offered her unique business perspective, and agreed that high quality early learning promotes not just the hard skills like math, reading, writing and science—but the increasingly important soft skills—communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
“Kids that attend high quality early learning are more likely to succeed, stay on track academically, graduate from high school, pursue higher education career training and become productive workers,” said Tomack. “This is why many business leaders across Pennsylvania are supportive of early learning iniatives.”
A new study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill confirmed that the commonwealth’s investment in pre-k is paying dividends for the children fortunate enough to access pre-k through Pennsylvania’s Pre-K Counts program. In language and math skills, the study showed that these kids outperformed their kindergarten peers who did not enjoy access—an advantage that equated to four to five months of learning gains, which is a substantial difference in development at that age.
Governor Wolf’s proposed 2021-22 PA budget includes a $25 million increase for Pre-K Counts and $5 million increase for the Head Start State Supplemental Assistance Program, which continues the tradition of expanding access to high quality pre-k. This new funding will allow 3,271 additional children to enroll in these high-quality early learning programs.
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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Lancaster, PA (June 1, 2021) – Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County welcomed PA State Senator Scott Martin and local leaders today for a virtual tour and conversation on the challenges of providing pre-k during the COVID-19 pandemic. Local leaders spoke to Senator Martin about the continued need to serve the more than 7,000 eligible children across Lancaster County who still lack access to this once-in-a-lifetime learning opportunity.
“I absolutely support efforts to increase capacity that we need and right now they’re needed more than ever,” Senator Martin said. “We can’t get a lot of people back to work if they don’t have good options related to their young children, you can count on my support.”
Stacy Lewis, Director at Head Start Programs Community Action Partnership offered a glimpse into life at an early learning center during COVID—describing both visually and verbally how providers have been supporting our children, families, and businesses during this unique year. Joining her in the discussion were Lieutenant General (Ret.) Dennis L. Benchoff, U.S. Army, Robert Krasne, Chairman & CEO at Steinman Communications, Steve Doster, State Director at Mission: Readiness, Kim Early, Director of Advocacy and Public Policy at PennAEYC, Blair Hyatt, Executive Director at Pennsylvania Head Start Association, and Jan Schwartz, Outreach Director at PennAEYC.
“Prior to the pandemic, approximately one in four children had access to a funded pre-k high quality program, and what we know now is that since the pandemic we are actually at a net loss for childcare providers in Lancaster County.” said Lewis. “While some new centers have opened, those that have called close their doors, either on an interim basis or permanently, still outnumbers the new programs, so we are currently down fifteen licensed providers.
Speakers made it clear that despite the challenges associated with COVID, pre-k is working and is supported by the Lancaster County community. Both Robert Krasne and General Benchoff participated in the tour and discussion. From two different perspectives, they both agreed that high quality pre-k promotes not just the hard skills like math, reading, writing and science—but the increasingly important soft skills—communication, collaboration, and critical thinking.
“Early childhood education addresses two issues coincidentally. First, it gets Pennsylvania’s children off to a great start in life, helps make them lifelong learners, and prepares them to be great in school and beyond. At the same time, by enabling young children to go into early childhood education programs, it enables their parents or caregivers to get time back so that they can reenter the work force,” Krasne said. “You can invest in the future workforce and invest in expanding the present workforce.”
Enthusiasm for early education was echoed by General Benchoff. “We see the lack of qualifications for military service or any other type of good job that individuals like to do once they graduate from high school as being better addressed by early childhood education and preschool programs,” Benchoff said.
A new study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill confirmed that the commonwealth’s investment in pre-k is paying dividends for the children fortunate enough to access pre-k through Pennsylvania’s Pre-K Counts program. In language and math skills, the study showed that these kids outperformed their kindergarten peers who did not enjoy access—an advantage that equated to four to five months of learning gains, which is a substantial difference in development at that age.
Governor Wolf’s proposed 2021-22 PA budget includes a $25 million increase for Pre-K Counts and $5 million increase for the Head Start State Supplemental Assistance Program, which continues the tradition of expanding access to high quality pre-k. This new funding will allow 3,271 additional children to enroll in these high-quality early learning programs.
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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