School boards in Neshaminy (Bucks County, October 28, 2014) and Cheltenham (Montgomery County, October 14, 2014) have issued resolutions endorsing expanded investment in high-quality pre-k. To read the resolutions, visit our “Educators for Pre-K” page.
Neshaminy School Board Passes Resolution Calling for High-Quality Pre-K
Momentum grows as another area school board joins the cause in support of state-funded early learning policies
Philadelphia, PA (Oct. 29 2014) – The Board of Directors of the Neshaminy School District yesterday enacted a resolution calling for the adoption of state-funded policies to ensure that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania can access high-quality early education. Neshaminy is the latest in a series of local school districts that have joined the issue campaign Pre-K for PA in calling on Pennsylvania’s elected officials and candidates for office to support increased access to high-quality pre-k.
The resolution reflects the recognition that children who attend quality pre-k programs are far better prepared to enter school ready to learn and take full advantage of the benefits of classroom learning. It also recognizes that many families in Neshaminy – and across the Commonwealth – do not have access to, or cannot afford quality pre-k. In fact, over 10,000 children ages 3 and 4 in Bucks County do not have access to high-quality, publicly-funded early education. Investment in quality early learning programs is crucial to ensure that our children can have the best chance possible to succeed in school and beyond.
“As a mom, educator, and taxpayer, I am grateful that our School Board is adopting a resolution in support of universal high-quality pre-k,” said Neshaminy School District Literacy Coordinator Colleen Stahl. “Currently, too many of our youngsters are entering school under-prepared, without the social, listening, speaking, and language skills that quality early education provides. Children only have one chance to get on target for lifelong academic success – and this is a step in the right direction for Neshaminy.”
The resolution highlights the benefits of high-quality pre-k programs, which include: improved early literacy, language, math, social and emotional skills; a reduction in special education placements and grade repetition; increased rates of high school graduation and college enrollment; and decreased high school dropout and crime rates.
For a copy of the full resolution, as well as resolutions recently passed by other Pennsylvania school districts, visit Pre-K for PA’s “Supers for Pre-K” webpage here.
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by 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. We will not endorse nor oppose candidates, but rather we will advocate on behalf of this vision for Pennsylvania’s children, schools and communities.
Advocates for High-Quality Pre-k Honor Rep. Mundy for Career Contributions to Early Childhood Education
Pat Ward (President & CEO, United Way of Greater Hazleton, Inc.), Bill Jones (President & CEO, United Way of Wyoming Valley), Phyllis Mundy and Gary Drapek (President and CEO, United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties). Phyllis Mundy holding an award made by Head Start Children of Luzerne County.
Wilkes-Barre, PA (Oct. 17, 2014) – Retiring state Rep. Phyllis Mundy was recognized today by the statewide, non-partisan Pre-K for PA campaign for her years of dedicated work to increase state investments in early learning programs.
Mundy was honored at a reception this morning hosted by the Pre-K for PA campaign and some of its local supporting partners, including the United Way of Wyoming Valley and the United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne counties.
The Luzerne County lawmaker has been a tireless advocate for early learning investments during her 24-year tenure in the state House of Representatives. Mundy helped start the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Early Childhood Education Caucus, a bipartisan group of 129 House and Senate members, and serves as co-chair of the caucus.
“Her positive impact in early childhood education cannot be understated and truly will be felt for generations to come,” said Steve Doster, the Pennsylvania state director for Mission: Readiness, an organization of retired military leaders that is one of the founding partners of the Pre-K for PA campaign.
“Pennsylvania’s early learning community has been very fortunate to have Phyllis Mundy in its corner year after year as we worked to increase state investments in high-quality pre-k and other proven programs that prepare children for success,” Doster said.
Along with advocating for increased state investments in pre-k and other early learning programs, Munday has been a leader in calling for high-quality standards in early learning.
Despite the dedicated efforts of Mundy and her legislative colleagues over the years, today only 1 in 6 of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds has access to publicly funded, high-quality pre-k. Increasing Pennsylvania’s investment in high-quality pre-k can increase its proven benefits, including decreased dropout rates, increased graduation rates and college enrollment, and higher lifetime earning potential.
Recent polls show the majority of Pennsylvania voters support increased investments in pre-k, in part because they recognize its long-term benefits to students, schools and communities.
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.
Phylis Mundy speaking at the event.
Montgomery County Leaders Visit Collegeville Play & Learn to Endorse Pre-K Investment
Event organized by Fight Crime: Invest in Kids highlights endorsement of Pre-K for PA by Montgomery County Chiefs of Police Association
Media Coverage
As part of the Pre-K for PA campaign, Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman, Police Chiefs William Albany (Limerick) and David Duffy (Upper Gwynedd), along with State Senator John Rafferty and State Representatives Mike Vereb and Todd Stephens, visited the Collegeville Play & Learn center on Thursday, October 9 to discuss the value of early learning and to read to children in this high-quality pre-k program.
The law enforcement leaders provided information showing that investing in high-quality early education in Pennsylvania can help at-risk children succeed, reduce special education costs, significantly reduce the likelihood that they will commit crimes, and save taxpayer dollars through reduced prison and other costs. Pennsylvania’s 2014-15 state budget grew funding for Pre-K Counts by $10 million providing services to almost 1,600 additional children statewide. Despite this increase, 66 percent of Montco’s approximately 19,320 3- and 4-year-old children do not have access to high-quality pre-k.
The statewide anti-crime organization Fight Crime: Invest in Kids is sponsoring the event. The 200 Pennsylvania district attorneys, police chiefs, and sheriffs who are members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids are urging greater access to high-quality pre-k for more of Pennsylvania’s children as an essential crime prevention investment. The organization is a founding partner of the Pre-K for PA campaign, the goal of which is to ensure that all 3- and 4-year-old children in Pennsylvania have access to high-quality pre-k. Ms. Ferman serves on the Executive Leadership Council of the Pre-K for PA Campaign. Chief Albany, representing the Montgomery County Chiefs of Police Association, officially announced the Association’s endorsement of the campaign.
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| Pre-k 3 teacher Desiree Sedgwick, MontCo DA Risa Ferman, Limerick Police Chief William Albany, Rep. Mike Vereb |
Pre-k 4 teacher Christina Doty, Upper Gwynedd Police Chief David Duffy, Rep. Todd Stephens, Pre-k 4 teacher Natasha McManus |
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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“Let’s have more of it” (Facebook) |
“Let’s have more of it” (Twitter)
by Joseph Sabino Mistick, TribLive.com
“In Pennsylvania, high-quality pre-K exists but there is simply not enough of it. Families of means can afford to send their 3- and 4-year-olds to private programs. And many of our poorest families have access to publicly funded pre-K.
“Still, nearly 250,000 children across the commonwealth — most from the middle plus those kids still unserved at the bottom — will start school behind the others because they have no access to pre-K. Not just another program that we simply cannot afford, universal pre-K is something that we cannot afford to ignore.”
Read more: http://triblive.com/opinion/josephmistick/6892769-74/pre-early-education#ixzz3FQNo3rfj
72% of young Pennsylvanians are ineligible for military service. Mission:Readiness and Pre-K for PA released a new report, highlighting retired PA generals who call for better access to high-quality pre-k and tout the military’s universal access early learning system as a model.
Contact: Steve Doster
Cell: 717-343-6403, steve@missionreadiness.org
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Pentagon Data: 72% of Young Pennsylvanians Ineligible for Military Service
Retired PA generals release report calling for better access to high-quality pre-K; tout military’s universal access early learning system as model for state;
and launch northeast regional Pre-K for PA Campaign with local supporters.
WILKES-BARRE, PA (September 30, 2014)—Three retired Pennsylvania generals visited King’s College Early Learning Center today to release a new report calling for better access to high-quality pre- kindergarten for the sake of future national security. The new report documented how high-quality pre- kindergarten can help children succeed in school, stay physically fit, and avoid criminal involvement, opening the doors to college, careers and the military for those who choose to serve.
The retired generals – Dennis L. Benchoff, Lieutenant General, U.S. Army (Ret.), Daniel J. O’Neill, Major General, U.S. Army (Ret.) and Joseph F. Perugino, Major General, U.S. Army (Retired) — were joined by local business, civic and education leaders.
General O’Neill, a former Wayne County school superintendent, cited new Pentagon data that 72 percent of young Pennsylvanians are unable to serve in the military for three primary reasons: they are too poorly educated, they are physically unfit, or they have a criminal record. He emphasized research included in the report that quality pre-kindergarten experiences enable children to build the pre-math, pre-literacy and social skills that are vital to academic success when they begin school, making it less likely they will fall behind or eventually drop out.
“This high level of ineligibility among our youth is unacceptable as our current military involves complex technology and systems unimagined in past generations,” said General Perugino. “We need young men and women who can think critically, work well in teams, and make decisions under pressure. Increasing access to high-quality pre-K programs will result in more kids being prepared for college, the workforce and the military down the road.”
According to data cited in the report, more than 200,000 three- and four-year-olds lack access to high- quality pre-kindergarten in Pennsylvania, and more than 12,000 three- and four-year-olds lack access in northeast PA counties alone.
General Benchoff noted that the Department of Defense understands the importance of early education and has prioritized the development of exemplary pre-kindergarten programs – like those found at Tobyhanna Army Depot over the past 30 years. “High-quality pre-K programs are a centerpiece of the military’s Child Development System that is available to all active-duty military families,” said General Benchoff. “This system is recognized by experts as a model for the nation in terms of access and quality.
Pennsylvania’s policymakers should take the military’s lead and ensure access to high-quality pre-K for all of our children.”
Other major findings from the Mission: Readiness report entitled, The Military Gets It: High-quality pre- kindergarten is crucial for youth readiness and a centerpiece of the military’s child development system, include:
- One in five students nationwide and 16 percent in Pennsylvania do not graduate from high school on time.
- Of those who do graduate and try to join the military, more than 1 in 5 nationwide and 22 percent in Pennsylvania cannot score highly enough on the military’s entrance exam to be able to serve.The report highlights studies of high-quality early education programs that show impressive education and crime prevention outcomes:
The Military Gets It
