Ellwood City Ledger: Report: 70 percent of Pa. children can’t access preschool
“Nearly 209,000 young children lack access to pre-kindergarten programs because their families either can’t find or can’t afford it, the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children found in its new report,“A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-k in PA.”
Less than 18 percent, or about 53,000 children, are enrolled in publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs statewide.
The report is part of a new push by a coalition of 10 nonprofit organizations to ensure every young Pennsylvanian has the opportunity to attend a strong preschool program. The coalition launched the “Pre-k for PA” campaign last month, in the hope of spurring lawmakers to devote more resources to early education as they develop the 2014-15 budget.”
Read the full story here.
Delco Times: Parent forum Feb. 26 looks at pre-kindergarten education
“The push for high quality pre-kindergarten education in the state will be the focus of a parent forum at Upper Darby High School on Feb. 26 called DelCo For Pre-K, an initiative to make sure three- and four-year-olds are ready for kindergarten.
Hosted by the Pre-K For PA coalition, DelCo For Pre-K is part of a state-wide regional series that invites parents in the county to learn about pre-k and how to make it a priority for elected leaders.
The forum will be hosted at the school’s board room at 8201 Lansdowne Ave. from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
“Children with access to high-quality, pre-k are more likely to advance grades and have improved social skills,” says a promotional flyer. “When all children arrive ready to learn, all of our schools are better.””
Read the full story here.
Explore Venango: New Report Finds High-Quality Pre-K Benefits Only 1 in 6 Young Learners
“Only about 18 percent of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds – or 1 in 6 children – are able to access high-quality, publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs, despite the proven benefits and growing public support for these programs, according to a new report from Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC).
This lack of access to high-quality pre-k not only means missed learning opportunities for young children, it also results in additional long-term costs for Pennsylvania’s taxpayers. These issues can be addressed through stronger public investments in high-quality pre-k, PPC President and CEO Joan Benso said.
“The sooner high-quality pre-k is made available to more Pennsylvania children, the sooner we can see the increased benefits to our children, our communities and the commonwealth,” Benso said. “Investing in our young learners is a smart and necessary step toward building a stronger Pennsylvania.””
Read the full story here.
Allentown Morning Call: Report: Valley falls short in pre-K programs
“”The sooner high-quality pre-K is made available to more Pennsylvania children, the sooner we can see the increased benefits to our children, our communities and the commonwealth,” PPC President and CEO Joan Benso said in a release. “Investing in our young learners is a smart and necessary step toward building a stronger Pennsylvania.”
PPC’s report, “A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-K in PA,” shows nearly a quarter of a million 3- and 4-year-olds — or one in six children in that age group — are excluded from pre-K because their families cannot find or afford such programs.
According to the report, Lehigh County has about 8,700 children in the 3-4 age group, but 85 percent have no access to high-quality, publicly funded pre-K. In Northampton County, it’s about 91 percent of 6,800 children in the age group.”
Read the full story here.
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New PPC Report Finds High-quality Pre-k Benefits Only 1 in 6 Young Learners
Pennsylvania Can See Greater Impact Through Increased Investments
(HARRISBURG, PA) Feb. 19, 2014 – Only about 18 percent of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds – or 1 in 6 children – are able to access high-quality, publicly funded pre-kindergarten programs, despite the proven benefits and growing public support for these programs, according to a new report from Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC).
This lack of access to high-quality pre-k not only means missed learning opportunities for young children, it also results in additional long-term costs for Pennsylvania’s taxpayers. These issues can be addressed through stronger public investments in high-quality pre-k, PPC President and CEO Joan Benso said.
“The sooner high-quality pre-k is made available to more Pennsylvania children, the sooner we can see the increased benefits to our children, our communities and the commonwealth,” Benso said. “Investing in our young learners is a smart and necessary step toward building a stronger Pennsylvania.”
PPC’s report, “A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-k in PA,” shows nearly a quarter of a million 3- and 4-year-olds in Pennsylvania lack access to high-quality pre-k because their families cannot find or afford such programs.
The report details the proven benefits of high-quality pre-k for 3- and 4-year-olds, including stronger academic and social skills in kindergarten and later grades, reduced costs for special education services, and an increased likelihood of high school graduation and better employment opportunities.
These are among the reasons high-quality pre-k is seeing growing support among elected leaders from both major parties, business leaders, and military and law enforcement officials in Pennsylvania and across the country.
Pennsylvania taxpayers also express strong support for investing more public funds in high-quality pre-k. The report cites a recent poll of likely voters that shows 63 percent of Pennsylvanians support increased funding for pre-k and 58 percent say they favor increasing pre-k funding even if it increased their taxes.
“Pennsylvanians want to see their tax dollars invested wisely in areas that benefit all of us, and they increasingly recognize that high-quality pre-k is one of those areas,” Benso said. “It has a ripple effect throughout a child’s life and throughout a child’s community.”
Despite strong voter support, Pennsylvania’s investments in high-quality pre-k have not significantly increased in recent years, even as several other states are making or moving toward stronger investments. Most of Pennsylvania’s neighboring states – including Maryland, New Jersey, New York and West Virginia – have higher rates of pre-k participation among 4-year-olds, underscoring the need for Pennsylvania to do more.
To elevate the discussion about stronger public investments in high-quality pre-k, PPC recently helped launch a statewide campaign called “Pre-K for PA: All Children Ready to Succeed.” The campaign’s goal is to ensure every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania has access to high-quality pre-k and enters kindergarten ready to learn and succeed. Visit prekforpa.org to learn more.
PPC’s report, along with county-level statistics on access to high-quality pre-k, can be found at papartnerships.org/prekinpa.
CONTACT: Michael Race, Communications Director
717-236-5680
mrace@papartnerships.org
Delaware County News Network: Parent forum Feb. 26 looks at pre-kindergarten education
“The push for high quality pre-kindergarten education in the state will be the focus of a parent forum at Upper Darby High School on Feb. 26 called DelCo For Pre-K, an initiative to make sure three- and four-year-olds are ready for kindergarten.
Hosted by the Pre-K For PA coalition, DelCo For Pre-K is part of a state-wide regional series that invites parents in the county to learn about pre-k and how to make it a priority for elected leaders.
The forum will be hosted at the school’s board room at 8201 Lansdowne Ave. from 7 to 8:30 p.m.”
Read the full story here.
