NEWS ROOM
State Budget Delivers Modest Gains for the Early Learning Workforce but Leaves Out Critical Supports for Pennsylvania’s Youngest Children
Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates, expressed appreciation for some small steps forward in addressing early education workforce shortages in the 2026–27 state budget. They also emphasized that the commonwealth must do far more to support programs such as infant and toddler Early Intervention to ensure that every Pennsylvania child from birth to age five has access to affordable, high-quality early care and education by 2030.
Erie County Business, Civic Leaders Warn of Unrelenting Child Care Crisis Caused by Teacher Shortages
Standing at their City Center site with two closed classrooms behind them, Early Connections CEO Stacey Hellmann joined state and local leaders today to spotlight an unrelenting child care staffing crisis that is leaving hundreds of Erie County children without care and parents sidelined from the workforce.
Northeast Times: Op-Ed: Teaching Our Youngest Children Deserves a Living Wage
We are educators, who help young children develop cognitively, physically, emotionally and academically – with benefits to themselves and society that last as long as they live. We are qualified and we do quality work. We deserve to be able to make a decent, living wage doing it.
The Daily Item: Editorial: Funding Early Childhood Education is Always Money Well Spent
New analysis from the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children presents a lot of the same conclusions and data stakeholders have long known about the impact of funding early childhood education. Essentially, you can never go wrong putting money into programs that boost high-quality programs and make them more accessible to more people.
Northeast Times: Op-Ed: Teaching Our Youngest Children Deserves a Living Wage
The Daily Item: Editorial: Funding Early Childhood Education is Always Money Well Spent
New analysis from the Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children presents a lot of the same conclusions and data stakeholders have long known about the impact of funding early childhood education. Essentially, you can never go wrong putting money into programs that boost high-quality programs and make them more accessible to more people.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jodi Askins
272-444-1860
jodiaskins@gmail.com
EARLY EDUCATION EXPERTS
If you are a reporter looking for comment or background from one of our early education experts, please contact Jodi using info above.
LOGO FILES
 WEB: |
 PRINT: |
 VECTOR: |
Bedford Gazette: Education caucus discusses teacher shortages
MyChesCo: Shaping the Future of Pennsylvania: Examining Gov. Shapiro’s 2024-25 Budget Proposa
However, the ELPA coalition paints a concerning picture with pre-K classrooms closing throughout the commonwealth due to inadequate wages. These circumstances are forcing pre-k teachers to vacate their chosen field for higher-paying roles in other sectors. The fresh investment planned by the government is undoubtedly a critical initial step towards overcoming this issue.