PRESS ROOM

A $40 million investment in pre-kindergarten education would generate $72 million in new spending in the Northeastern Pennsylvania economy, according to a study released Friday.
The analysis, released by the statewide Pre-K for PA campaign and conducted by ReadyNation/America’s Edge, calculates how an expansion of early education in the Commonwealth generates business and jobs and found that statewide, every dollar Pennsylvania invests in pre-k programs generates $1.79 in new spending.

The Norristown school board approved two resolutions at Monday night’s school board meeting, one opposing a piece of charter school legislation and one supporting the Pre-K for PA coalition.

Joan Benso: “Our investments in high-quality pre-K have been lagging because we haven’t made it a priority for Pennsylvania. And we haven’t elevated the discussion to make sure more people know what research clearly shows: high-quality pre-K helps kids succeed and pays off for all of us.”

In the Lancaster-York region, the study says, a $90 million investment would generate $161 million in new spending, including $71 million outside of the early education sector — $16 million in services, $12 million in real estate and construction, $13 million in insurance and finance, and $9 million in retail and wholesale trade.

In the capital region, the study says, a $60 million investment would generate $107 million in new spending, including $47 million outside early education — $11 million in services, $8 million in real estate and construction, $8 million in insurance and finance, and $6 million in retail and wholesale trade.

Expanding pre-kindergarten education in Pennsylvania would create “a significant, immediate economic boost for local businesses,” said the report authored by ReadyNation/America’s Edge on behalf of the Pre-K for PA campaign.

The report, which was created to be a research element for Pre-K for PA, an issue campaign that advocates for investing in early education, estimates the impact of expanding the state’s high-quality pre-k system using IMPLAN, an economic modeling program.

District attorney David Arnold: “Investing in early learning programs provides us with a solid opportunity to offer kids a better future, which makes our communities safer,” Arnold said. “The funding and the effort up front goes a long way towards saving the funding and effort on the back end.”

McCord, state treasurer since 2009, was on hand to make his case that if elected governor he would triple the amount the state spends on its youngest students.
“If we put $220 million more in early-childhood education, we save $3 billion in costs associated with high school dropouts,” McCord told members of the Pre-K for PA Coalition at the center, Children’s Village. “Talk about an investment that pays for itself.”

“If we put $220 million more in early-childhood education, we save $3 billion in costs associated with high school dropouts,” McCord told members of the Pre-K for PA Coalition at the center, Children’s Village. “Talk about an investment that pays for itself.”

U.S. Rep. Allyson Schwartz said if she were elected governor, she would reinstate the reimbursements for full-day kindergarten. She said teachers have told her that full-time kindergarten students do far better in school.

“And that’s why pre-school programs, like Head Start, are enormously important,” Schwartz said.

Before reading to students inside Children’s Village Early Learning Center, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob McCord said more money for public pre-K and full-day kindergarten programs means healthier, better-adjusted kids who are more likely to graduate from high school.

“Talk about a return on your investment,” McCord said during a morning discussion organized by Pre-K for PA, a nonpartisan advocacy organization.

State College chairman of Pre-K for PA, Bill Frantz: The foundations for the success of every child are laid in the first, critical years of life. When we invest in high-quality pre-k, we invest in a stronger Pennsylvania.

Earlier this year, a statewide effort called “Pre-K for PA” was launched to help spread the word about the benefits of high-quality pre-k.Visit www.prekforpa.org to learn more.

As the race for governor heats up, a coalition of retired military officers, business leaders and law enforcement officials is trying to get all the candidates to understand the importance of investing in early childhood education.

Katie McGinty was the first to sit down with the group on Tuesday, at Harrisburg’s Hansel & Gretel Early Learning Center.

Military, Law Enforcement and Business Leaders Host Candidates at Early Learning Centers Statewide partners of the Pre-K for PA campaign have invited all PA gubernatorial candidates to participate in site visits of early education centers. At the visits,...

Two mayors in Centre County proclaimed all this week, the week of the young child. After hearing from advocates about just how important an early childhood education is, the mayors of State College and Bellefonte made those proclamations.

Joan Benso, CEO of Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children: “If we could invest tax dollars in a way that reduces public school costs, increases graduation rates, lowers spending on crime and social services and helps build a more competitive workforce with stronger earning power, would you get behind it?”

Such an investment opportunity already exists in York County in the form of high-quality pre-kindergarten. Unfortunately, we aren’t doing enough to take full advantage of it here or across Pennsylvania, and that means lost savings for taxpayers and missed opportunities for kids.