NEWS ROOM
Pre-k / Early Learning Advocates Call for Renewed Commitment to Pre-k, Quality Child Care and Home Visiting Programs
Partners in the Pre-K for PA and Early Learning PA campaigns credited nearly 20,000 supporters for the adoption of a budget that maintains the commonwealth’s investment in high-quality pre-k programs. The Campaigns renewed a call for making more substantial progress in its efforts to expand essential early childhood programs.
Governor Wolf’s Commitment to Pre-K Goes Down the Chute
While pre-k advocates and legislators show their continued support for pre-k expansion by trying their hand at a life-sized Chutes & Ladders game in the East Wing Rotunda today, the Pre-K for PA Campaign expressed its disappointment with Governor Tom Wolf stepping back on his commitment for meaningful pre-k expansion from his list of “must haves” in the final 2016-17 state budget agreement.
Lancaster Newspapers Editorial: Let’s be Fair, and Smart: Fund Preschool Education
Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s call to boost preschool education funding by $120 million statewide received Republican support Monday at a Head Start center in Lancaster.
Philly.com Op-Ed: Expanding Preschool will Help Children and the City
In Philadelphia, many are working hard to improve our schools. There is significant work to be done if we are to give our young people the best possible opportunity to become active and successful citizens, and we need to begin with our youngest learners.
The Sentinel: Book: Early STEM funding key to state’s workforce
Pennsylvania has a long tradition of investing in high-quality early childhood education, but it’s not enough. While Pennsylvania’s recently enacted state budget for 2016-17 will allow 6,200 additional children to enroll for a full year, about 70 percent of PA’s income-eligible three- and four-year olds do not have access because of inadequate funding. That’s 120,000 young children each year who might lack learning experiences in math and science fundamentals.
Philly.com: Letter to the Editor: State Funds Also Needed for Phila Pre-k
While the passage of the soda tax is good news for Philadelphia’s pre-K children, Mayor Kenney’s plan to serve 10,000 children counts on additional funding from the state.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kate Philips
215-850-4647
kphilips@prekforpa.org
EARLY EDUCATION EXPERTS
If you are a reporter looking for comment or background from one of our early education experts, please Kate Philips at kphilips@prekforpa.org.
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Public News Service: Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Increased State Pre-k Funding
The statewide poll, commissioned by the Pre-K for PA campaign, found that three out of four voters in the Keystone State support increased state funding to expand access to high-quality pre-kindergarten. And Brock McCleary, president of Harper Polling, says when it comes to recognizing the necessity of skills and behaviors learned in pre-k, voters are almost unanimous.
Philly.com: Pa. voters willing to pay more taxes for more pre-K, poll finds
It’s safe to say that pollsters don’t often find a super-majority of voters willing to pay more in taxes. Yet in a new poll to be released Thursday, 64 percent of Pennsylvania likely voters said they would support a tax increase to expand publicly funded preschool education, responding to a hypothetical hike of .01 percentage points in the personal income tax, which would cost an average taxpayer about $50.