Senator Camera Bartolotta and Representative Tim O’Neal Staff Member Tour The Village of FPC
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as the Workforce in Southwest PA Returns to Work
CALIFORNIA, PA: (October 7, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner Trying Together hosted a virtual classroom tour at The Village of FPC in California, PA today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. Senator Camera Bartolotta and Eric Kratz from Representative Tim O’Neal’s office participated in the tour and discussion.
“After closing in March, we reopened June 1st at 20% capacity and have are enrolled around 50%. In addition to loss in revenue and increased expenses, we are experiencing what I would call, COVID fatigue,” said Cherie Sears, President, The Village of FPC. “We have been adjusting curriculum that wasn’t designed for social distancing, and the entire playbook has been rewritten 8 times since June 1st.”
“Child care staff put ourselves at risk everyday for very little compensation. Without child care, many other frontline workers would not be able to go to work, and we get no recognition for being front line workers ourselves.” Sears offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“Child care policies and protocols have changed significantly and they are very costly,” said Sears. “Centers like The Village must now have additional staff to meet cars outside as parents are not able to bring children into the center. In addition to cleaning supplies and PPE, each child must now have their own materials.”
“Child care, an industry with professionals that barely make a livable wage, holds the weight of our economic recovery. And without additional financial support that industry will collapse under that weight, along with the workforce and businesses that rely on them,” said Shalonda Spencer, Director of Government Affairs and Policy, Trying Together.
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
The Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns represent thousands of early learning providers and supporters across Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.startstrongpa.org and www.prekforpa.org.
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Senator Anthony Williams and Representative Joanna McClinton Tour KenCrest West Early Learning Center
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as the Workforce in Southeast PA Returns to Work
PHILADELPHIA, PA: (October 6, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner First Up hosted a virtual classroom tour at KenCrest West Early Learning Center in Philadelphia today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. Senator Anthony Williams and Representative Joanna McClinton both participated in the tour and discussion.
“KenCrest has been in operation for over 115 years, providing early education for over 50 years. We operate STAR 3 and 4 quality level centers serving families in seven Philadelphia neighborhoods.” Marian Baldini, President and CEO, KenCrest. “Our situation is significantly challenging because we are operating at 75% enrollment in our infant and toddler classrooms, 60% in our Pre-K Counts and Head Start classrooms and our school age enrollment has been reduced by 60%.”
“In addition, KenCrest has many new protocols and practices based on what we call the “three M’s” – Managing the number of contacts; Minimizing contact intensity and Maximizing mitigation.” Melanie Brennan, Executive Director of Early Learning, KenCrest. “These new protocols have exponentially increased our costs. As one example, we have now hired “safety ambassadors” who spend the entire day cleaning classrooms, materials, playgrounds, bathrooms, etc.”
Baldini and Brennan offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery. The child care industry in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania immediately needs substantially more funding so that as the state reopens, they can stay open and our workforce can return to work.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“The financial impact, not only for PA child care providers but for the businesses that employ the families those child care providers serve will certainly result in more closures if additional funds do not materialize quickly. With this very real risk that providers across Pennsylvania will close, our state will not have the workforce to be able to effectively recover from this pandemic,” said Carol Austin, Executive Director of First Up, who hosted the tour.
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
The Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA campaigns represent thousands of early learning providers and supporters across Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.startstrongpa.org and www.prekforpa.org.
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House Majority Whip Donna Oberlander and Clarion County District Attorney Drew Welsh Tour Keystone Smiles Child Learning Center
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as Clarion County Workforce Returns to Work
KNOX, PA: (October 6, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children hosted a virtual classroom tour at Keystone Smiles Child Learning Center in Knox, PA today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. House Majority Whip Donna Oberlander and Clarion County District Attorney, Drew Welsh both participated in the tour and discussion.
“Keystone Smiles has been in operation since 1994. Four years ago, we reached a STAR 4, the highest level of quality, and now our community is at risk of losing those services. We are in an alarming situation because we are operating at 50% enrollment and uncertain how long we will be able to sustain, based on our current revenue stream,” said Joyce Fosdick, Executive Director, Keystone Smiles Community Learning Center.
“In order to meet CDC guidelines, we are not only operating with less revenue, but we have increased expenses. New protocols such as increased cleaning and social distancing have exponentially increased our costs. There is no doubt that we need more funding to help us get through this,” said Monica Weeter, Keystone Smiles Child Care Director.
Fosdick and Weeter offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery. The child care industry in Clarion County and across Pennsylvania immediately needs substantially more funding so that as the state reopens, they can stay open and our workforce can return to work.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“The crisis is real,” said Kimberly Early, Public Policy and Advocacy Director, Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children, who hosted the tour. “And this crisis not only impacts the child care industry but the families that need child care to return to work and the businesses that need the workforce in order to reopen fully. Without child care, there is no economic recovery.”
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
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House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody Tours
Riverview Children’s Center
Child Care Providers Struggle to Remain Open as the Workforce in Southwest PA Returns to Work
VERONA, PA: (October 6, 2020) – Start Strong PA and Pre-K for PA Campaign partner Trying Together hosted a virtual classroom tour at Riverview Children’s Center in Verona, PA today describing the challenges COVID-19 has caused the child care industry. House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody participated in the tour and discussion.
“Our future situation is very tenuous. The center’s enrollment prior to the pandemic was 150 children. After closing in March, we reopened June 15th with only 50 children and have now enrolled around 100. In addition to loss in revenue and increased expenses, we are experiencing significant staffing challenges,” said Betty Lisowski, Executive Director, Riverview Children’s Center. “Being open during COVID and following strict CDC guidance to keep all as safe as possible is expensive, exhausting, and uncertain. We have been flexible to the point of breaking.”
Lisowski offered a glimpse into the early learning center describing both visually and verbally how providers support our children, families, businesses, and are a critical component to our economic recovery. The child care industry in southwest PA and across Pennsylvania immediately needs substantially more funding so that as the state reopens, they can stay open and our workforce can return to work.
In a study on COVID-19’s impact on Pennsylvania’s child care sector, Penn State’s Director of Institute of State and Regional Affairs reports an estimated $325 million in new costs and lost revenues for PA providers since the economic shutdown.
“Without child care, economic recovery is impossible” said Cara Ciminillo, Executive Director, Trying Together, who hosted the tour. “Prior to the pandemic, 70% of PA children under the age of six had all adults in their household in the workforce. Those adults need child care to return to work.”
In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 6+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.
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PA Stimulus Deal Saves Early Learning as Working Families Prepare to Get Back to Work
Advocates applaud legislature for substantial relief package for
child care / pre-k providers
HARRISBURG (May 28, 2020) — The economic stimulus bill that authorizes the spending of most of the
$3.9 billion in federal CARES Act funding includes $125 million in economic relief for the Commonwealth’s early learning sector, which will be critical in supporting Pennsylvania families returning to work.
The principal partners of the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA advocacy campaigns issued the following statement regarding the stimulus agreement:
“All Pennsylvania families will benefit from this agreement. Knowing that our economy depends on working families and working families depend on high-quality child care and early learning, the General Assembly and the Wolf Administration moved in a remarkably bi-partisan fashion toward a deal that will allow Pennsylvania to get back to work when the time is right.
“We applaud the prioritization of substantial federal resources in the stimulus authorization deal to help save the Commonwealth’s early learning sector for working families. This outcome, paired with level funding for early learning programs included in the stopgap state budget passed this week for at least the first five months of FY 2020-2021, will greatly aid in preserving child care and pre-k capacity in the coming months.
“In the wake of COVID-related closures, the Pre-K for PA and Start Strong PA campaigns — representing tens of thousands of Pennsylvania families — have illustrated the urgent need for relief, as Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 2+ months. Stabilizing the Commonwealth’s child care and early learning system is a necessary strategy supporting our overall economic recovery.”
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.
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 atwww.startstrongpa.org. ###
Passage of Stopgap Budget Demands Immediate, Robust Economic Stimulus to Preserve Capacity of Early Learning Sector
HARRISBURG (May 27, 2020)— The anticipated five-month stopgap state budget will preserve Pennsylvania’s current investment in publicly-funded, early learning programs. Under the proposed agreement, PA Pre-K Counts, Head Start State Supplemental, and state funding for child care and evidence-based home visiting services will remain level funded for at least the first five months of the 2020-2021 fiscal year.
The principal partners of the Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, and Childhood Begins At Home advocacy campaigns issued the following statement regarding the proposed budget agreement:
“A level funded, five-month stopgap budget will preserve Pennsylvania’s fiscal commitment to core early learning services in Pennsylvania. During these extraordinary and uncertain times, this agreement shows a bipartisan commitment to our youngest learners and working families of Pennsylvania. However, level funding assumes that pre-COVID-19 child care / pre-k provider capacity will exist in the 2020-2021 fiscal year so that service delivery remains constant. Given the current reality, this may not be a fair assumption. In order for that to happen, stimulus funds must be immediately made available.
“Pennsylvania’s child care providers have incurred devastating losses over the past 2+ months of state mandated closure. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to unfold, these impossible to predict financial losses paired with uncertain future demand threaten to collapse the early learning system. Immediate and robust economic stimulus is also needed to ensure our high-quality programs survive to serve children and families in the new fiscal year.
“Governor Wolf and the PA General Assembly must enact a robust plan that provides financial stability for Pennsylvania’s child care providers by reimbursing them for lost subsidized child care co-pays and a portion of private tuition payments. Additionally, child care providers must be protected during the emergency period by granting them immunity from tort liability associated with claims related to COVID-19, and funding must be provided to secure necessary cleaning and PPE supplies needed for reopening pre-k and child care programs. We also must ensure that this year’s Pre-K Counts and Head Start students are ready for kindergarten by offering a one-month summer instruction program if it is safe for students and teachers to do so.
“To accomplish this, policymakers must immediately release the remaining $55 million in federal CARES Act child care funds and allocate an additional $142 million in federal stimulus or Commonwealth funds. Such action would better ensure child care / pre-k provider capacity in the 2020-2021 fiscal year and ready the early learning system for parent’s rapid return to work.
“Families also need support now more than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, and voluntary, evidence-based home visiting programs improve maternal health, child well-being and family self-sufficiency. Staying connected to home visiting services can be a lifeline for families sheltering-at-home, and we must continue to help home visitors get the flexibility and resources they need to deliver home visiting services now and in coming months. Additionally, we are calling for $100 million in federal stimulus funds currently being considered in the U.S. Senate as part of the latest version of stimulus legislation.
“Pennsylvania’s economy depends on working families and working families depend on high-quality child care and early learning!”
Pre-K for PA was launched in 2014 with the vision that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. This statewide coalition’s leadership group includes: Fight Crime: Invest in Kids; First Up; Mission: Readiness; Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children; Pennsylvania Head Start Association; Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children; Public Citizens for Children and Youth; Trying Together; and the United Way of Pennsylvania.www.prekforpa.org
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 atwww.startstrongpa.org.
Childhood Begins At Home is a statewide campaign to help policymakers and the public understand the value of evidence-based home visiting and support public investments in the programs.
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