On Tuesday, September 16 at 10am, Pre-K for PA and DVAEYC are planning a children’s rally at Philadelphia’s Franklin Square to advocate expanded investment in high-quality pre-k. Click here for more info and to register.
“Dozens of pre-schools and daycare centers came together on Tuesday to sing, dance, draw and rally in Franklin Square Park as part of the Pre-K for PA campaign to influence voters and elected officials to prioritize accessible early education for Pennsylvania’s 3 and 4 year olds.”
“We know that students, children, who have access to high-quality pre-k do better in school,” Philadelphia Superintendent William Hite said. “We also know that students who have access to high-quality pre-k learn to read by the time they’re in third grade. We also know that children who have access to high-quality pre-k get to graduation from high school.”
Representantes de centros de educación preescolar y guarderías llevaron a cabo una movilización el 16 de septiembre en la que los más pequeños cantaron, bailaron y alzaron la voz en Franklin Square Park parte instar a los electores de Filadelfia a hacer de la educación temprana una prioridad a la hora de votar.
La movilización formó parte de la campaña “Pre-K for PA” que promueve el acceso a la educación temprana para los pequeños de 3 y 4 años de edad.
“Sabemos que a los niños y estudiantes que tienen acceso a una educación preescolar de calidad les va mejor en la escuela, aprenden a leer para el tercer grado, y se gradúan de high school”, dijo el superintendente William Hite.
Montco County Commissioner Castor Visits Local Preschool, Highlights the Need for Access to Pre-KMontgomery County Leaders Join Pre-K for PA in Stressing Importance of Being Ready for the First Day of Kindergarten
Philadelphia, PA—Friday, September 5, Pre-K for PA was joined by County Commissioner Bruce Castor and other Montgomery County leaders, educators and preschoolers at Play & Learn Providence Pointe in Royersford, PA, a STAR 3 pre-k program, to highlight the importance of high-quality pre-k in preparing children for kindergarten and beyond.
As teachers and educators welcome kids to the first day of kindergarten this week, Pre-K for PA is holding a series of “Back to School” events at preschools across Pennsylvania to underscore the need for every 3- and 4-year-old in the commonwealth to be ready for kindergarten through access to high-quality pre-k.
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.
The Phoenix:
PHOTOS: Castor reads to local preschoolers at Pre-K for PA event
Montgomery County Commissioner BruceCastor reads “The Little Engine That Could” to children at Play & Learn Providence Pointe in Upper Providence on Friday, Sept. 5, 2014. Castor‘s visit was part of a series of back to school events held by Pre-K for PA to support quality preschool access throughout the state. Photo courtesy of Pre-K for PA.
Upper Providence — Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor visited Play & Learn Providence Pointe Friday to show his support for Pre-K for PA.
During his visit, Castor read “The Little Engine That Could” to the children and spoke with parents, Pre-K for PA representatives and Play & Learn Program Coordinator Melanie Godhania about the importance of quality preschool education for Pennsylvania children.
Pre-K for PA is a statewide group that campaigns for access to quality preschool education in Pennsylvania.
Castor’s visit was one of a series of back to school events the organization is holding at preschools across the state, according to a press release from Pre-K for PA.
“Of Philadelphia’s 2,000 existing pre-K programs, only 300 currently meet these standards. About half of them are operated by the Philadelphia School District.”
More from GreatPhillySchools: “We kept hearing how important it is to find a high quality child care or preschool program. In response, we worked with many great partners to develop GreatPhillySchools: Early Childhood Education.
“You’ll find lots of information already here: including descriptions, services, and enrollment facts for more than 300 high quality programs serving children 0-5. You will also find resources with useful tips and information like how to secure financial aid, descriptions of different program types, and what quality looks like.
“But the site is not now, nor will it ever be, complete. We will be working to improve it continuously. As more recent data becomes available from providers, accreditation agencies, and the state, we will update the information. We will keep adding more reference materials as it becomes available. All of this will be guided by you, based on your feedback and suggestions. In developing the site, we tried to base every decision on what parents want or need to know.
“Because we know quality is important, we set our bar high. In our database, you’ll find only high quality programs with an educational component.
“Policy makers and providers use all kinds of data in the course of managing centers and systems. While much of this data is available to the public, it is often presented in ways that are not user-friendly. Here, we have taken the same data that is used by policy makers and simplified its presentation so that users can more easily sort and compare providers.
“Still, users should avoid making snap judgments based on a provider’s profile.Keep in mind that every child has different learning needs, and there is no one universal program best for all.
“Without question, Philadelphia needs more great early childhood options. But it has many, and some of these are not enrolled to capacity. We hope GreatPhillySchools will become a helpful tool for your family in finding the best early childhood education choice for you.”
Philadelphia School District’s superintendent Dr. William Hite — a Pre-K for PA “super for pre-k” — remarks about pre-kindergarten, “If we could only do one thing to change the trajectory of student outcomes, it is this.”
