New Survey: Historic Staffing Shortage Eliminates At Least 30,000 Early Care and Education Slots; Over 38,000 Children Sit on Waiting Lists – Low Wages to Blame
Advocates call for increased investment to stabilize and strengthen early care and education sector for PA working families
HARRISBURG (March 1, 2023) – Partners of the Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA advocacy campaigns released new survey results detailing the historic staffing crisis in the early care and education sector that continues to contract the capacity of child care, Pre-K Counts and Head Start State Supplemental programs. Advocates are calling on Governor Shapiro and the General Assembly to increase investment in early care and education programs using recurring funds as part of the 2023-2024 state budget.
The new survey, conducted between January 31, 2023 and February 12, 2023, details the current staffing crisis in Pennsylvania child care, Pre-K Counts and Head Start State Supplemental programs and its effects on working families’ ability to access care.
More than 1,100 programs across 54 counties responded to the survey. According to respondents:
Staffing Crisis:
- Programs need to fill nearly 4,000 open staffing positions.
- 85% of child care respondents reported staffing shortages.
- 50% of child care respondents have closed at least one classroom.
Impact on Working Families:
- Nearly 35,500 children currently sit on child care waiting lists.
- More than 30,000 additional children could be served at respondents’ sites if they were fully staffed.
- Over 2,200 children currently sit on Pre-K Counts waiting lists.
- Over 650 children currently sit on Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program waiting lists.
The February 2023 survey results depict a deepening crisis in the early care and education sector. In May 2022, Start Strong PA released a similar survey showing that Pennsylvania’s child care centers were experiencing a staffing shortage resulting in nearly 32,500 children sitting on waiting lists. These new survey results show that over the past 10 months, waiting list numbers have continued to increase across Pennsylvania. It is not surprising that this industry, with pay averaging less than $12.50/hr and 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.
“One hundred and twenty of our YMCA sites responded to the survey and the numbers are staggering,” said David John, Vice President of Governmental Affairs, PA State Alliance of YMCAs. “Those programs have 382 open staffing positions that have caused the closure of 269 classrooms. Across 36 counties there are nearly 4,700 children on waiting lists. That means thousands of families without care.”
“Our early care and education programs need more than one-time funds to begin to solve this crisis. While we are thankful for the federal monies that have helped stabilize many programs, those funds are running out. We must give this industry long-term resources,” said Jen DeBell, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children (PennAEYC). “The partners of Start Strong PA believe that immediate and sustained action is required to boost pay for Pennsylvania’s child care teachers and staff to stem this tide of closures and wait lists.”
“We no longer can offer school-age care because of staffing. If we can’t get some help soon, I don’t know how long we can continue. Someone else just left our program to take a job in housekeeping at a local hospital night shift making $16.00/hr.” said Jocelyn Kreig, Owner/Director of Sunshine and Rainbows Child Care in Lackawanna County. “I can’t compete and there’s just not enough money to go around. Everyone is already working overtime and I am now the cook and relief staff along with being the director.”
“This current situation is unsustainable. With tens of thousands of families sitting on waiting lists, how can those parents return to work? said Diane Barber, Executive Director of Pennsylvania Child Care Association (PACCA). “The partners of Early Learning PA just released results from a new poll last week that an overwhelming majority of voters believe funds invested in child care and child care teachers is money well spent. Our elected leaders must prioritize additional investments in the early care and education sector to address the systemic issues causing this staffing crisis.”
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It’s Unanimous! 98% of PA Voters Believe Early Childhood Education is Important
New poll shows strong support among PA voters to increase state investments in pre-k, child care and evidence-based home visiting.
HARRISBURG, PA (February 21, 2023) — Just weeks before Governor Shapiro’s first state budget address and negotiations begin, partners of the Early Learning PA Coalition held a Capitol Rotunda press conference today releasing new polling data on voter support for early childhood care and education programs.
The poll, commissioned by the Early Learning PA Coalition and conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research from February 1-7, 2023, found that 98% of PA voters believe that early childhood education is important. It also showed strong voter support for increased investment for early care and education programs like pre-k, high-quality child care and home visiting services. Voter’s overall support has grown several percentage points since a June 2022 poll, when 90% of voters said they found early childhood education to be important.
“Ninety-eight percent of Pennsylvanians have reached consensus that early childhood education is an important piece of what it takes to lead a healthy and productive life,” said Steve Doster, State Director of Mission: Readiness – a principal partner in the Early Learning PA Coalition. “Even more amazing is that this level of support is consistent across all age brackets, education levels, ethnicity, and gender. There is also no discernable difference between the views of Republicans or Democrats, conservative or liberal – they are all at or above 98% in agreement. The same goes for voters in different regions of the state.”
According to the poll, 78% of PA voters support increasing state funding to serve more eligible children in pre-k programs, which is an increase from 65% in 2022. Seventy-eight percent of PA voters also support increasing state funding to help more low-income working families afford high-quality child care, up from 67% in 2022. Support for increasing state funding to provide voluntary home visiting services to eligible families was 62% of PA voters (up from 60% in 2022). The poll also found that 81% of PA voters favor allocating state funding to increase wages of child care workers.
“Few issues have united both Republicans and Democrats in Pennsylvania like early care and education,” said Kristen Rotz, President of the United Way of Pennsylvania and principal partner in the Early Learning PA Coalition. “At a time of political polarization, Pennsylvania voters responded unanimously that early childhood care and education is not only a uniting issue, but one that the majority want prioritized in our state spending.
“As we start budget season here in Harrisburg, the partners of the Early Learning PA Coalition urge Governor Shapiro and all members of the General Assembly to respond to this level of voter support for growing the Commonwealth’s investments in early care and education. Pennsylvania must make these programs more accessible to children and families that qualify and further stabilize and strengthen the system by addressing historic teacher shortages caused by low wages.” said Rotz.
Also participating in the event was State Representative and Senator-elect Lynda Culver and State Representative Pat Harkins — who both serve as House co-chairs of the Legislative Early Care and Education Caucus as well as TaTyana Abreu, a mother of a pre-k student and staff member at York Day Early Learning.
“Folks in our area have understood for a long time the important role that high-quality early care and education programs play in benefiting the social and economic needs of our local families and the educational and developmental needs of our children, said Rep. Culver. “It’s clear that we still have more work to do in expanding these services to more Pennsylvania children and families that are eligible. It’s also clear that Pennsylvanians want us to prioritize this.”
“Early care and education has been a priority for me for years,” said Rep. Harkins. “When more than 100,000 children are eligible for state-funded pre-k programs like Pre-K Counts and Head Start but don’t have access due to insufficient funding – we have work to do. When more than half of Pennsylvania residents live in child care deserts, and less than half of Pennsylvania’s child care is considered high quality – we have work to do. When there is a historic teacher shortage that is due to low wages in the early care and education sector – we have work to do. And today, we have a mandate from the voters to do it!”
“To say my husband and I are grateful for York Day is an understatement,” said TaTyana Abreu. “We now have two children, who we can confidently drop off every morning knowing that they are well taken care of, while we work. It is not surprising to me that so many Pennsylvanians want to see more children in our state have the same opportunities that my children have, and that they want their elected officials to invest more to make sure high quality early care and education is not out of reach for families who can’t afford the costs all on their own.”
About Pre-K for PA
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.
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.
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Pre-K Kids Join Governor Wolf, First Lady Frances Wolf at Tree-Lighting Ceremony
Adorn PA Capitol Christmas Tree with Hand-crafted Ornaments
HARRISBURG (December 5, 2022) — The Pre-K for PA campaign joined Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf at the Pennsylvania Capitol tree lighting ceremony to mark the official start of the holiday season today. The 20-foot Douglas Fir Christmas tree from Crystal Spring Tree Farm in Lehighton, Carbon County was decorated by pre-k students from all corners of the commonwealth who crafted hundreds of original ornaments.
“Each year, this ceremony reminds me of the common bonds we share across humanity,” said Governor Tom Wolf. “During this holiday season, let us celebrate and strengthen those bonds by reaching out to those in need, by sharing what we have with others, and by extending our kindness beyond our friends and families to strangers and acquaintances who we know to be different than us. Pennsylvanians will celebrate many holidays over the next several months. No matter which holiday you celebrate, I wish every Pennsylvanian a very happy holiday season.”
Joining Governor Wolf and the First Lady for the in-person Christmas tree lighting ceremony was staff, students, and families from York Day Early Learning and Pre-K for PA supporting organizations.
“Every year, our holiday wish is for lawmakers to make serious investments in our kids to continue to keep early learning strong — and Governor Wolf and the General Assembly did just that,” said Steve Doster, State Director of Mission: Readiness, a principal partner of Pre-K for PA. “The $79 million pre-k expansion in this year’s budget will provide high-quality pre-k to over 2,300 additional students as well as increase rates for providers to support the early care and education workforce and address rising costs.
“We thank Governor Wolf and our champion legislators who continue to prioritize Pennsylvania’s youngest learners and look forward to working with Governor-elect Josh Shapiro and new and returning members of the General Assembly.”
Today, less than 40 percent of eligible children in Pennsylvania has access to high-quality pre-k, leaving more than 100,000 children without the benefit of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Yet, according to recent polling, 90% of registered Pennsylvania voters believe that early childhood education is important in helping set kids on a path to leading healthy and productive lives.
A 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.
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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Leaders Celebrate New Pre-K Counts Classroom
Applaud Commonwealth’s Expansion of Pre-K Access
PHILADELPHIA, PA (November 17, 2022) — Local, state and federal government leaders visited a new Pre-K Counts expansion classroom at Amazing Kidz Academy LLC in Philadelphia today. Officials visited with students and participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate state funding increases for early care and education and the Amazing Kidz Academy LLC acquisition of the real estate comprising of 3 buildings, where they opened their first child care center, in Oxford Circle. Participants included Mayor Jim Kenney, State Senators Christine Tartaglione and Sharif Street, State Representatives Jason Dawkins and Danilo Burgos, City Councilmember Cherelle Parker, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, and students, teachers and administrators at Amazing Kidz Academy LLC.
“It’s an amazing day to have so many distinguished guests visit our Oxford Circle site today to mark the passage of the 2022-23 state budget that includes a $79 million increase for more of Pennsylvania’s three- and four-year-olds to attend Pre-K Counts and Head Start, and to celebrate our purchasing of the school building and other parcels at the site where we opened our first child care space,” said Lisa Smith, President of Amazing Kidz Academy LLC. “This $79 million increase is important because we know that 43 percent of income eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Philadelphia do not yet have access to publicly funded high-quality pre-k. This equates to more than 12,000 income eligible three- and four-year-olds still lacking access to these services every year in our City.
“Across Pennsylvania more, than 100,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds are waiting. Additional funding enables us to attract, recruit, and retain highly qualified staff, offering a real living wage, health and pension benefits, that we would could not afford, without the increased PreK budgetary spending.”
The Pre-K Counts expansion classrooms at Amazing Kidz Academy LLC were made possible by the infusion of an additional $60 million in funding for the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program and $19 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program as part of the state’s 2022-2023 state budget. Together, this new funding will allow roughly 2,300 additional students access to high-quality pre-k. Pre-K Counts and the Head Start State Supplemental are the primary state funding sources for high-quality pre-k in Pennsylvania.
Carol Austin, Executive Director of First Up and a principal partner in the Pre-K for PA Campaign, noted that access to high-quality pre-k is an important part of a child’s opportunity to lead a prosperous life. Austin cited a recent study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill showing that kids enrolled in Pre-K Counts outperformed kindergarten peers who did not have access to pre-k. This advantage equated to four to five months of learning gains, which is a substantial difference in development at that age.
“These outcomes are significant because language and math skills have been shown to be the school readiness skills that most strongly predict later academic achievement,” said Austin.
Austin also referenced recent polling data showing that 90 percent of registered voters in Pennsylvania agreed that early care and education are important investments that help set kids on a path to leading healthy and productive lives.
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal added that high quality pre-k programs are not only an important part of our educational system, but also as a critical part of our overall community safety efforts. “Studies show that high quality pre-k programs also reduce problematic social and self control behaviors that hinder student learning and can lead to future delinquency and even crime,” said Bilal.
Participants thanked state lawmakers for their support at the state level that has led to more state funding for Pre-K Counts and Head Start year after year.
ABOUT PRE-K FOR PA
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by thousands of individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is a necessary and urgent priority. For more information, visit prekforpa.org.
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Local Leaders Celebrate New Pre-K Counts Classroom
Applaud Commonwealth’s Expansion of Pre-K Access
Confluence, PA (November 17, 2022) — Somerset County Commissioners and other local leaders visited a new Head Start expansion classroom at the Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District. The Commissioners were joined by Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District and Tableland Services officials, as well as Head Start students to mark the new classrooms with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I am very excited by so many visitors to our program today to mark the passage of the 2022-23 state budget that includes a $79 million increase for more of Pennsylvania’s three- and four-year-olds to attend Pre-K Counts and Head Start,” said Anne Garrison, Director of Early Childhood Education at Tableland Services. “This $79 million increase is important because we know that 62% of income eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Somerset County do not yet have access to publicly funded high-quality pre-k. This equates to more than 600 income eligible three- and four-year-olds still lacking access to these services every year in our County.
“Across Pennsylvania more than 100,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds are waiting. Tableland Services, Inc. Early Childhood Programs are committed to helping educate the youngest learners to keep the Commonwealth growing in its early childhood programs.”
The Head Start expansion classroom at Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District was made possible by the infusion of an additional $60 million in funding for the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program and $19 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program as part of the state’s 2022-2023 state budget. Together, this new funding will allow roughly 2,300 additional students access to high-quality pre-k. Pre-K Counts and the Head Start State Supplemental are the primary state funding sources for high-quality pre-k in Pennsylvania.
Kara McFalls, Associate Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Head Start Association and a principal partner in the Pre-K for PA Campaign, noted that access to high-quality pre-k is an important part of a child’s opportunity to lead a prosperous life. McFalls cited a recent study by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill showing that kids enrolled in Pre-K Counts outperformed kindergarten peers who did not have access to pre-k. This advantage equated to four to five months of learning gains, which is a substantial difference in development at that age.
“These outcomes are significant because language and math skills have been shown to be the school readiness skills that most strongly predict later academic achievement,” said McFalls.
McFalls also referenced recent polling data showing that 90 percent of registered voters in Pennsylvania agreed that early care and education are important investments that help set kids on a path to leading healthy and productive lives.
Participants thanked lawmakers for their support at the state level that has led to more state funding for Pre-K Counts and Head Start year after year.
ABOUT PRE-K FOR PA
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by thousands of individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is a necessary and urgent priority. For more information, visit prekforpa.org.
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State Leaders & Families Celebrate New Pre-K Counts Classroom
Applaud $79 Million Increase to Expand Pre-K Access
Canonsburg, PA — Pennsylvania State Senator Camera Bartolotta and staff from Representative Tim O’Neal’s office joined Blueprints for a visit to the new Pre-K Counts expansion classroom in the Frank Sarris Public Library. They were joined by the CEO of Blueprints, Darlene Bigler, the Executive Director of the library, Peggy Tseng, and Vice Chair of the Library Board of Trustees, Marsha Blanco, staff from Blueprints, WQED, and Trying Together, and pre-k students and families to mark the new classroom with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
“I am thrilled that Senator Bartolotta is visiting our program today to mark the passage of the 2022-23 state budget that includes a $79 million increase for more of Pennsylvania’s three- and four-year-olds to attend Pre-K Counts and Head Start,” said Darlene Bigler, CEO of Blueprints. “This $79 million increase is important because we know that 56 percent of income eligible 3- and 4-year-olds in Washington County do not yet have access to publicly funded high-quality pre-k. This equates to almost 1,180 income eligible three- and four-year-olds still lacking access to these services every year in our County. Across Pennsylvania more than 100,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds are waiting.”
Blueprints and the Frank Sarris Public Library collaborated to open a Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts classroom at the library made possible by the infusion of an additional $60 million in funding for the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts Program and $19 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program as part of the state’s 2022-2023 state budget. Together, this new funding will allow roughly 2,300 additional students access to high-quality pre-k. Pre-K Counts and the Head Start State Supplemental are the primary state funding sources for high-quality pre-k in Pennsylvania. As a part of the National Ready to Learn Learning Neighborhoods Initiative, WQED has partnered with Blueprints, the Frank Sarris Public Library, the City Mission, and Wylandville Elementary School to bring educational resources and events to young children and families in the Canon McMillan School District area. This partnership has been very valuable and has provided a great deal of educational resources and partnerships to support families of young children.
Marsha Blanco, Vice Chair of the Frank Sarris Library Board of Trustees, noted that access to high-quality pre-k is an important part of a child’s opportunity to lead a prosperous life and that she knew this first hand as her first job was as a preschool teacher. “I look at the little ones and I think of their future,” said Blanco on the importance of the classroom as part of the community library.
Senator Bartolotta commented on the partnership as a “shining example of how you can have community organizations that can work together to support their children.” The Senator also noted that she is proud to continue supporting investments in early learning.
“Investments in pre-k are worthwhile as these programs support children’s language and math skills and set them up for success, ” said Senator Bartolotta.
Participants thanked Senator Bartolotta and Representative O’Neal for their leadership at the state level that has led to more state funding for Pre-K Counts and Head Start year after year.
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by thousands of individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is a necessary and urgent priority. For more information, visit prekforpa.org.
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