Corporate Partners:
K-12 Reports
Please note some information contained in these publications may be out of date.
Full-Day Kindergarten in Pennsylvania 2012 Fact Sheet
Smart budgeting means investing in what works. When it comes to K-12 education, few investments match the benefits of full-day kindergarten. Pennsylvania has seen a proven connection between full-day kindergarten enrollment and later success in elementary school. Districts that have elected to provide full-day kindergarten have seen improved performance on the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA).
Full Day K - A Proven Success
View the Report | Press Release | Media Coverage
As budgets are crafted in Pennsylvania and across the nation, lawmakers are rightfully asking, “Are we getting good value for our money?”
The data prove that the investment first made in 2004-05 is paying off. Today, there are children in fifth grade scoring proficient or better on math and reading tests who might have fallen below proficient if they hadn’t received full-day kindergarten.
Teacher Effectiveness & Student Achievement
There's a growing awareness that having an effective teacher in every classroom is one of the missing links in assuring that every child learns – every day – from kindergarten until he or she graduates from high school ready for the rigors of college and careers. In Pennsylvania, more and more teachers,principals, school board members and union leadership agree: It’s time to continue building on our student achievement gains by making sure that all teachers and principals have the opportunities and supports needed to be highly effective professionals. Evidence of this movement can be found in national initiatives with state participants.
PPC's Position on School Vouchers
In its almost 20-year history, PPC has never had a position on school choice. Despite this fact, it was clear that PPC could not ignore this important policy debate heading into the 2011-12 legislative session or negate our responsibility as the Commonwealth’s only independent statewide children’s advocacy organization. Public education is, after all, the largest statewide child-serving system. Our work in K-12 education, particularly on accountability, full-day kindergarten, graduation requirements and school finance, requires us to examine the issue, look at research and data, and finally ask ourselves: What is in the best interest of Pennsylvania’s children and youth?
PPC's Position on Charter School Law Reform
The passage of Pennsylvania’s charter school law in the late 1990s gave children and families more choices within public education and provided an opportunity to facilitate reforms in the traditional K-12 education system. More than a decade after implementation and as conversations turn toward how to improve the charter school law, policymakers should consider changes that would improve educational opportunities for all children, increase academic achievement and provide better accountability for the public dollars that are being invested in charter schools.
