98% of PA Voters Agree: Early Childhood Education is Critical

HARRISBURG, PA (May 1, 2025) — Just as the Pennsylvania 2025-26 state budget negotiations begin; partners of the Early Learning PA Coalition are releasing new polling data showing strong voter support for early childhood care and education programs and increased state funding to strengthen and grow these services.

The statewide poll, commissioned by the Early Learning PA Coalition and conducted by Susquehanna Polling and Research of 700 likely voters from March 17 – March 23, 2025, found that:

• 98% of PA voters believe that early childhood education is important.
  • Crosstab Detail – (Democrats 99%, Independents 100% and Republicans 95%)
• 73% of PA voters support increasing state funding to serve more eligible children in pre-k programs.
  • Crosstab Detail – (Democrats 83%, Independents 75% and Republicans 62%)
• 73% of PA voters support increasing state funding to help more low-income working families afford high-quality child care.
  • Crosstab Detail – (Democrats 84%, Independents 61% and Republicans 65%)
• 83% of PA voters support the use of state and/or federal government funding to pay for the Head Start program.
  • Crosstab Detail – (Democrats 89%, Independents 79% and Republicans 78%)
• 83% of PA voters favor allocating state funding to increase wages of child care workers.
  • Crosstab Detail – (Democrats 90%, Independents 82% and Republicans 76%)
• 72% of PA voters favor allocating state funding to increase compensation for pre-k teachers.
  • Crosstab Detail – (Democrats 84%, Independents 68% and Republicans 59%)

“Few issues have united both Republicans and Democrats in Pennsylvania like early care and education. At a time of political polarization, Pennsylvania voters responded unanimously that early childhood care and education is not only a uniting issue, but one that the majority want prioritized in our state spending,” said PA Senator Pat Stefano (R-32nd District), Co-Chair Legislative Early Childhood Education Caucus. “As someone who has advocated for early care and education for a long time, I know that families rely on child care and other early learning programs. When the early learning sector is struggling, as we have seen with the increasing teacher shortage, it limits the availability of child care and pre-k and has negative implications for our working families and the overall economy.”

“As we start budget season here in Harrisburg, the partners of the Early Learning PA Coalition urge Pennsylvania policymakers to respond to this level of voter support for growing the Commonwealth’s investments in early care and education,” said Steve Doster, State Director, Mission Readiness/ReadyNation – Early Learning PA Partner. “Pennsylvania must make these programs more accessible to children and families that qualify and further stabilize and strengthen the system by addressing historic teacher shortages caused by low wages.”

“For over two decades, I’ve dedicated my life to this work—not just because I love what I do, but because I know what’s at stake. Right now, child care programs across Pennsylvania are struggling to keep our doors open,” described Dr. Leslie Spina, Founder and Executive Director of Kinder Academy (Philadelphia, PA). “We cannot recruit or retain enough teachers. Classrooms are closing. Families are being turned away. And children—the very children who need us most—are missing out on the foundation that will shape their futures. The good news is today’s poll results confirm what I’ve always known—our communities value early childhood education and this is a call to action.”

“Early care and education has been a priority for me for years,” said Senator Judith L. Schwank (D-11th District), Co-Chair Legislative Early Childhood Education Caucus. “The current early learning teacher shortage due to low wages is jeopardizing our Commonwealth’s pre-k and child care systems. Classrooms and entire centers are closing. Eighteen other states have stepped up to the challenge and invested in recruitment and retention initiatives for these teachers. Pennsylvania must do the same.  And today, we have a mandate from the voters to do it!”

“As a parent, I know first-hand how important early care and education is. Thrust into the role of a single, full-time dad and full-time provider for three young children in 2023, I was unable to find and afford child care,” described Denzel Henderson, parent from Johnstown, PA. “On waiting lists for a year, I became unemployed, overwhelmed, and terrified for my children’s future. I was fortunate enough to eventually find high-quality care and education for my children and return to work, but I shouldn’t have had to wait over a year for that chance. Many families across Pennsylvania today still sit on those waiting lists unable to provide for their children. It is time for lawmakers to prioritize funding for these programs.”

The Early Learning PA Coalition applauded Governor Shapiro’s 2025-26 budget proposal which included an investment of $55 million in a new and recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention line item to grant licensed child care providers participating in the child care subsidy program an additional $1,000 per educator. Additionally, the proposed budget includes a new investment of $15 million in Pre-K Counts to increase the per child rate to help providers address the workforce challenges and inflationary pressures.

The Early Learning PA Coalition also supports an additional $9.5 million in the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program to help stabilize the Head Start workforce.

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