Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pittsburgh) : High-quality pre-K
by CAROL BARONE-MARTIN
Presently available public funds help fewer than 20 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds to access high-quality pre-K. Far too many children are missing out on this life-changing opportunity. We are encouraged by Mayor Peduto’s work around early childhood education and hope that these efforts help to make quality pre-K available to all.
“Leaders from the coalition Pre-K for PA released statistics last week saying 12,731 out of 19,320 of Montgomery County’s 3- and 4-year-olds, or 66 percent, do not have access to high-quality pre-K.
The statistics were released as part of an initiative to provide reports on the status of early care for each of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties.
Montgomery County’s percentage of children without access high-quality early care equals that of Philadelphia, but is less than Bucks and Chester counties, which have 72 and 73 percent without access, respectively.”
Read the full story here.
Times Leader : County Needs More Pre-K, Group Says
by Mark Guydish
Two-thirds of Luzerne County children age 3 and 4 lack access to quality pre-kindergarten classes, according to data released by an advocacy group. … Data on access to high-quality pre-k programs for all Pennsylvania counties was released by a coalition of organizations and individuals working collectively as “Pre-K for PA.”
Pittsburgh Business Times (Pittsburgh) : Study: 65 Percent of Children in Allegheny County Don’t Have Access to High-Quality Pre-K
by Justine Coyne
Sixty-five percent of children in Allegheny County do not have access to high-quality pre-k education, according to the results of a study by the statewide Pre-K for PA campaign.
The Bradford Era : Study Shows Local Children Underserved by Pre-K Availability
by Marcie Schellhammer
More than 1,000 children in this region are missing out on high quality pre-Kindergarten, according to a statewide study released this week. Studies link early education with an increased likelihood of high school graduation and college enrollment; decrease in crime and incarceration and an increase in lifetime earnings, according to the Pre-K for PA campaign. In a study released Thursday through the campaign, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children gave county-level data highlighting unmet needs in communities across the commonwealth.
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Public Opinion Local News : Report: 87% of Franklin County Kids Lack Access to High-Quality Pre-K
by Amber South
Eighty-seven percent of 3- and 4-year-olds in Franklin County lack access to high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, according to the organization Pre-K for PA. … The numbers Pre-K for PA used to build fact sheets for each county were first released in February by the organization Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children.
