PRESS RELEASES & ADVISORIES

As priorities in the 2016-17 fiscal year budget negotiations are being identified in Harrisburg, Pre-K for PA provider Carriage House Children’s Center celebrated the advancement of its pre-k class to kindergarten alongside PA State Senator Jay Costa and PA Representative Dan Frankel today.

As priorities in the 2016-17 fiscal year budget negotiations are being identified in Harrisburg, Pre-K for PA provider Ruffsdale Center, a program of Westmoreland Community Action Head Start, celebrated the advancement of its pre-k class to kindergarten alongside PA Representative Ted Harhai and Representative George Dunbar today.

Former Governors Edward G. Rendell and Mark S. Schweiker led a group of influential business, civic, military and law enforcement leaders from across the state today in support of continued investment in pre-k, urging the Pennsylvania legislature and the governor to expand access to thousands of at-risk kids in the final 2016-17 budget.

Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman joined local United Way leaders and education advocates as part of a regional Pre-K for PA legislative breakfast today with Senator Judy Schwank and Representative Bryan Cutler to call for a serious investment in pre-k as leaders in Harrisburg launch budget negotiations.

Chief of the Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Nate Blum, MD joined local business leaders and education advocates as part of a regional Pre-K for PA legislative breakfast today with PA State Representatives Todd Stephens and Madeleine Dean to call for a serious investment in pre-k as leaders in Harrisburg launch budget negotiations.

As Mayors from Pennsylvania’s largest population centers continue to advocate for major pre-k initiatives in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Mayors and other leaders from mid-sized cities and communities across Pennsylvania gathered in Harrisburg today to encourage Governor Wolf and legislators to continue investing in publicly funded pre-k. The Mayor’s said pre-k is a vital element in the development of municipalities, citing lower crime, improved education outcomes, and greater workforce readiness as the key reasons to invest.

The Pre-K for PA campaign lauded Governor Tom Wolf’s continued commitment to expanding access to pre-k in Pennsylvania after he announced his plans today to propose a $120 million multi-year investment in his 2016-17 budget address on February 9. The plan calls for $60 million total investment in 2015-16 budget and additional $60 million in the 2016-17 budget.

Pre-k advocates, including United Way officials, today called on Pennsylvania to increase its commitment to making high-quality pre-k more accessible to the commonwealth’s young learners, particularly those at greatest risk of academic failure due to economic disadvantages.