New Polls Show Strong Support for High-Quality Pre-K
Surveys indicate likely PA voters continue to prioritize early learning opportunities
Click here to contact Pre-K for PA’s media relations team.
With Election Day fast approaching, two recent statewide polls of likely Pennsylvania voters demonstrate consistent and strong support for high-quality pre-kindergarten programming and voter prioritization for pre-k has grown. The polls are consistent with a previously released survey that also shows increased voter support for pre-k in the span of just one year.
The two new polls, conducted separately by Pennsylvania-based polling firms Terry Madonna Opinion Research* and Susquehanna Polling & Research (SP&R), show that growing majorities favor access to high-quality pre-k for every 3- and 4-year old child in the Commonwealth. According to the polling:
- 63 percent consider pre-k a top or high priority (Terry Madonna Opinion Research, September 2014)
- 58 percent consider pre-k a high or medium priority (SP&R, October 2014)
“With just 15 days until Election Day, these latest poll results further cement the sentiment among Pennsylvania voters that pre-k is a top priority when they head to the voting booth in November,” said Steve Wray, executive director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, a Pre-K for PA coalition member. “Each new poll conducted on the topic shows a strong majority of voters wanting the next Pennsylvania governor to improve access to pre-k.”
Consistent with other recent poll results, voters continue to prioritize pre-k as a top concern. An August 2014 Lake/Bellwether survey found that 58% of likely voters consider pre-k a top priority, an increase from 50% in December 2013. The two Lake/Bellwether polls were commissioned by Pre-K for PA and used the same methodology.
A summary of the poll findings can be viewed on Pre-K for PA’s website at www.prekforpa.org/priority.
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 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. While the campaign neither endorses nor opposes candidates, it advocates on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and communities.
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Pre-K for PA’s new issue brief — developed by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia — focuses on the impact that high-quality pre-k has on K-12 education. Schools spend significant time and money helping children who arrive in kindergarten behind to catch up. By getting children ready for school, academically and socially, pre-k can reduce those costs and increase student success.
This is a particularly important topic given Pennsylvania’s current efforts to ensure adequate and equitable funding for public education. While there are no simple solutions to the challenges Pennsylvania faces, this brief explores how pre-k benefits K-12 systems and improves outcomes for children.
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The gubernatorial debates have rightfully focused on early education. If we want to ensure strong schools, that begins with pre-k. Tune into the final debate in Pittsburgh on Wednesday, October 8 to watch the candidates debate.
Send this tweet to the candidates:
Dear Tom @CorbettForGov @WolfForPA: Explain your views on early ed at Wednesday’s #PAgov debate #CorbettWolf cc @SWigginWTAE @WTAE @PreK4PA
- Monday, September 22, 7:30pm — Hershey, PA
Click here to watch the first candidate debate on pcntv.com
- Wednesday, October 1, 8am — Philadelphia, PA
Watch the second debate on CBS Philly
- Wednesday, October 8, 7pm — Wilkingsburg, PA
Watch live on WTAE tv (Pittsburgh), WGAL (Lancaster) or online at WTAE.com
Download the BINGO card (PDF) | See the full-sized graphic to print
Special thanks to our friends at PCCY for co-designing the BINGO game.
It helps kids, fights crime, and strengthens the military, so let’s have more of it: Editorial
by the PennLive/ Patriot-News editorial board, September 21, 2014
“Nearly everybody in this country thinks government should do what it can to reduce crime.
“Nearly everybody thinks our country should have a strong military whose ranks are well-trained and professional.
“And absolutely everybody believes all children should be able to get a good education.
“If government could do one thing that would help advance all three of those goals, it should be a no-brainer.
“And that explains why there is such widespread support for making more children have access to a high-quality pre-kindergarten education — especially disadvantaged children.”
Read the full editorial at:
http://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2014/09/pennsylvania_should_embrace_un.html
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