Lack of child care, funding has wide impact

Early childhood education teachers need to have most of the skills to be primary school or secondary school teachers but get paid a fraction of what teachers make in public and private school districts. For day cares to pay teachers more, directors would have to pass along costs to parents and guardians who are already […]

Charting a Path to Equitable Access for PA Early Learning System

The Keystone State has some work to do to provide more access to quality pre-Kindergarten programs for the youngest Pennsylvanians. Only 43% of eligible 3- and-4-year-olds are in high-quality, publicly funded pre-K, leaving more than 87,000 without access, according to the new “State of Early Care and Education in Pennsylvania” report. Maggie Livelsberger, policy director […]

More investments needed to provide PA children with the foundation they need to succeed

New report highlights access and pay disparities in early care and education system HARRISBURG – A coordinated early care and education system ensures infants, toddlers, and preschoolers succeed in school and allows parents to work while knowing their children are safe and learning in high-quality care. Yet, inequities exist, causing too few children to have access […]

Pennsylvania’s surging childcare costs

Childcare is becoming so expensive that some Pennsylvania parents have quit jobs or left the workforce entirely to care for their children. Driving the news: The average cost of center-based daycare in Pennsylvania in 2021 was $11,346, amounting to 10 percent of a married couple’s median income, according to a new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. […]

Latest National Rankings for Child Well-Being Show Pennsylvania at 22nd

HARRISBURG — Pennsylvania ranks 22nd overall in child well-being, according to the 2023 KIDS COUNT® Data Book, a 50-state report of recent household data developed by the Annie E. Casey Foundation analyzing how children and families are faring. When looking specifically at economic well-being, the state ranks 22nd, while it ranks 20th in health. The health […]