The Morning Call : O’Neill and Dunn: Quality pre-K education puts children on path to success
by Daniel J. O’Neill and Michael A. Dunn
Only one out of six of Pennsylvania’s preschool-age kids benefit from existing publicly funded preschool programs. In Lehigh County, 75 percent, or more than 6,600 kids, ages 3 and 4 do not have access to high quality pre-K; in Northampton County, 84 percent or almost 5,800 kids lack access. This must change. This is why Mission: Readiness is supporting the Pre-K for PA Campaign — an issue education campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania which believe that affording all children the opportunity to enter school ready to succeed is the right choice and an urgent necessity.
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The Morning Call (guest column), Lehigh Valley
O’Neill and Dunn: Quality pre-K education puts children on path to success
“As we all know, 2014 is a major election year in Pennsylvania. On the ballot will be races for the entire state House, half of the state Senate seats and our governor’s office. As voters, we have a responsibility to help guide the election debate to those issues that we see as critical to our commonwealth’s and our country’s future.
“As retired Army generals, we believe our candidates for public office must focus on better preparing our youth to be citizen-ready — healthy, educated, law-abiding contributors who are able to serve their nation either in uniform or in the civilian sector.”
Read more: http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-pre-k-mission-readiness-yv-0402-20140401,0,926507.story#ixzz2xp3NY3M9
Wilkes-Barre Times Leader: Letters to the Editor: Pre-K can decrease crime woes
Luzerne County district attorney writes a letter to the editor in support of pre-K:
“The fact that two-thirds of Luzerne County’s 3- and 4-year-olds do not have access to publicly funded, high-quality pre-kindergarten programs creates an obvious school readiness gap and a less obvious crime prevention gap. But many law enforcement leaders, including myself, have long considered quality early childhood education as a critical component in an overall strategy to curb crime and violence.
Research is clear that Pennsylvania’s quality early learning programs are helping to control early aggressive behaviors in at-risk children, lowering the need for special education and reducing the odds that they will continue to develop anti-social delinquent and even criminal behaviors as they get older.”
Read the full story here.
AxisPhilly: On the outside looking in
AxisPhilly’s profile of PCCY’s Executive Director, Donna Cooper:
“The notion of providing Pre-K education has bipartisan support. Finding the money in these tight times is another matter.
PCCY is one of nine organizations behind the Pre-K for PA campaign, which advocates for investing in high quality pre-kindergarten education for every three-year-old and four-year-old in the state.
“For us it’s a key pathway out of poverty. It’s a key pathway to increasing high school graduation. It’s a key pathway to ensuring that children are more likely to have decent jobs, stay out of jail, have productive lives,” Cooper said. “So given that we have limited resources and the research says that the cheapest place to invest is early childhood, it makes a lot of sense to do so.””
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The Notebook: State groups make a push for early education funding
“Ten advocacy groups across the state are making a push for more pre-K funding in Pennsylvania. This new coalition is seeking to use this year’s gubernatorial race as an opportunity to campaign for high-quality pre-K care for every family.
The coalition includes Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia (ELGP), Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, and the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
Shawn Towey, child care policy coordinator at PCCY, said polls they’ve conducted indicate bipartisan support for increased funding for higher quality and more pre-K programs. She said investing in children early benefits everyone.”
Read the full story here.
WHYY/ Newsworks (Philadelphia): Study shows pre-kindergarten attendance creates healthier adults
by Taunya English
“Advocates for pre-kindergarten programs have some new evidence to sell the importance of early education.
A new study from researchers at the University of North Carolina shows links between pre-kindergarten enrollment and adult health.
Anne Gemmell, field director for the coalition PreK for PA, said she wasn’t surprised to learn about the health benefits even decades later.
“It’s beyond reading, it’s beyond math. It’s about making good life decisions,” Gemmell said. “High-quality pre-K can also reduce the effects of toxic stress from abuse and neglect.”
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