MEDIA REPORTS

New polling of Pennsylvania voters shows near unanimity on the value of early childhood education, results advocates hope will lead to increased funding in the commonwealth’s next budget.

Today at the state Capitol, a coalition of early education advocates held a press conference to highlight findings from a new poll that shows increased support for investments in early childhood education. 

Pennsylvania voters believe early childhood education is important; coalition poll

With Gov. Josh Shapiro’s first budget address now just two weeks away, advocates and lawmakers pressed the case Tuesday for increased state support for early childhood programs, buttressing their arguments with new polling data showing widespread public support for such efforts.

State officials joined the staff to celebrate a new pre-k classroom. This was made possible by an extra $79 million in this year’s budget. The new space makes early education accessible to more families.

After a short hiatus, the Pa. Capitol Christmas tree lighting returned for a special holiday ceremony inside the Rotunda on Monday.

Governor Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf ushered in the 2022 holiday season at the Capitol in Harrisburg with the 2022 Tree Lighting Ceremony.

Gov. Tom Wolf and First Lady Frances Wolf held the annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the state Capitol on Monday.

The Somerset County Commissioners and other local leaders visited a new Head Start expansion classroom at the Turkeyfoot Valley Area School District. The commissioners were joined by Turkeyfoot and Community Action Partnership for Somerset County officials, as well as Head Start students to mark the new classrooms with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Local, state and federal government leaders visited a new Pre-K Counts expansion classroom at Amazing Kidz Academy LLC in Philadelphia yesterday. Officials visited with students and participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate state funding increases for early care and education and the Amazing Kidz Academy LLC acquisition of the real estate comprising of 3 buildings, where they opened their first child care center, in Oxford Circle. Participants included Mayor Jim Kenney, State Senators Christine Tartaglione and Sharif Street, State Representatives Jason Dawkins and Danilo Burgos, City Councilmember Cherelle Parker, Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, and students, teachers and administrators at Amazing Kidz Academy LLC.