HARRISBURG, PA (February 3, 2026) – Today, the principal partners of Early Learning Pennsylvania (ELPA), a statewide coalition of advocates focused on supporting young Pennsylvanians from birth to age five, expressed appreciation for the Shapiro Administration’s 2026-27 state budget proposal and its continued focus on children and early education workforce investments, while also highlighting the need for additional support in areas like infant and toddler Early Intervention and home visiting.
ELPA operates issue-based advocacy campaigns, including: Pre-K for PA, Start Strong PA, Childhood Begins at Home, and Thriving PA. The partners of ELPA issued the following statements regarding the Governor’s budget proposal:
Budget prioritizes early learning workforce to address on-going child care staffing crisis
“Start Strong PA applauds Governor Shapiro for continuing to prioritize the child care workforce by building on the $25 million recurring Child Care Recruitment and Retention Program funding with an additional $10 million investment. These funds will support programs as they work to recruit quality applicants and retain experienced educators.
“Child care is an economic development strategy, workforce participation strategy, and education success strategy. These investments will encourage teachers to remain in the field, allowing more parents to work, prepare more Pennsylvania children for school, and build a stronger and more prosperous Commonwealth.
“Start Strong PA looks forward to working with the House and Senate to ensure these urgently needed funds are included in the final budget so we can more fully address the child care staffing crisis and its impact on working families and employers. There is always more we can do to help families find and afford child care and build a robust early learning sector while working to improve system quality and stability.”
Proposed budget boosts Pre-K Counts and Head Start rates to tackle ongoing teacher shortage
“Pre-K for PA commends the Shapiro Administration for taking an additional step to confront the longstanding teacher staffing crisis facing the Pre-K Counts and Head Start Supplemental programs. The proposed Pennsylvania 2026-27 state budget’s inclusion of an additional $7.5 million investment for Pre-K Counts and $2 million for Head Start will help stabilize early learning providers by increasing per-child rates – an essential step toward addressing rising costs and chronic staffing challenges driven by persistently low wages.
“For years, higher-paying opportunities in K-12 education and other sectors have pulled qualified educators away from early learning settings, forcing many providers to reduce enrollment or close classrooms altogether. This new funding represents a critical step toward reversing that trend and ensuring that state-funded pre-kindergarten programs remain strong, sustainable, and accessible to families across the state.
Budget proposal fails to recognize needed investments in infant and toddler Early Intervention
“Early Intervention is a critical and federally required component of the early care and education continuum, as all children from birth through age five with developmental delays, regardless of family income level, must be identified, referred to, and provided necessary services to help them and their families reach their fullest potential. While the increase for preschool Early Intervention in the Department of Education budget is a needed boost, the cut to infant and toddler Early Intervention in the Department of Human Services budget is deeply concerning. The reduction of funding will negatively impact the ability to adequately deliver services to more children in Pennsylvania. It is especially disappointing, as the 2024 Early Intervention Rate Methodology Study released by OCDEL found that infant/toddler rates were underfunded by more than $71 million in 2022-23 – almost 40% – a deficit that has continued to grow in the years since. Failing to address the workforce shortages caused by the ongoing rate deficit in the sector severely limits providers, making it harder for families to access services they are entitled to by federal law. We look forward to working with the legislature and the administration to change course and ensure critical investments are made in infant and toddler Early Intervention in the final budget.”
Stagnant funding reduces home visiting services for pregnant women and families with young children
“Home visiting is a vital component of the early childhood landscape, offering pregnant women and families with young children an option for support during the earliest and most critical years of life. For the fourth consecutive year, the proposed state budget level funds evidence-based home visiting programs. Without increased investments to address the rising costs of providing these life-changing services designed to strengthen and support families, local programs will struggle to serve families in their communities without reductions or be able to address longstanding workforce shortages, including factors that affect retention and recruitment. The Childhood Begins at Home campaign views the lack of an increase in the proposed 2026–27 budget as a missed opportunity, particularly as families and communities across Pennsylvania continue to face rising costs for basic needs such as food and housing. Investments in these vital services also help lower human services costs in the long run, and are critically important at a time when costs continue to grow. We will continue working with policymakers in the legislature and the administration to underscore the importance of evidence-based home visiting services for families who face disproportionate barriers to health and well-being, including families living in poverty, and to lay the groundwork for increased investment in the next competitive contract period beginning in July 2027.”
2026-27 PA State Budget Proposal Includes:
- $10 million in additional funding for the Child Care Recruitment and Retention line.
- $7.5 million in additional funding for the Pre-K Counts program.
- $2 million in additional funding for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program.
- $2.2 million in additional funding for the Child Care Services and $1.6 million for the Child Care Assistance line items.
- A reduction in funding of $5.2 million for the infant and toddler Early Intervention program in the Department of Human Services budget, and an increase of $51.2 million for preschool Early Intervention in the Department of Education budget.
- Level funding for the Community Based Family Centers line and Nurse Family Partnership line.
About Pre-K for PA
Pre-K for PA launched in 2014 with the vision that every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania will have access to high-quality pre-k. Learn more at www.prekforpa.org.
About Start Strong PA
Start Strong PA launched in 2019 to support healthy child development, working families, and the economy by increasing access to and affordability of high-quality child care programs for young children. Learn more at www.startstrongpa.org.
About Thriving PA
Thriving PA is a perinatal and child health campaign launched in 2021 that works to ensure each birthing person, infant, and toddler in Pennsylvania has access to affordable, quality health care. Learn more at www.thrivingpa.org.
About Childhood Begins At Home
Childhood Begins At Home is a statewide campaign launched in 2017 to help policymakers and the public understand the value of evidence-based home visiting and support public investments in the programs. Learn more at www.childhoodbeginsathome.org.
