Pre-K Should be a Top Budget Priority

Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children (PPC) released a report today in its role as a principal partner of the Pre-K for PA Campaign that commends Pennsylvania for making increased state investments in publicly funded, high-quality pre-k but highlighting that the commonwealth is lagging behind many other states, including economic competitors, in its per capita investment. PPC President and CEO Joan L. Benso was joined at a state capitol press conference by Governor Tom Wolf, Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed, York County business leader Michael Smeltzer and other partners in the campaign.

Pre-K in PA: A Path Forward Report

Driven by bi-partisan support, publicly funded, high-quality pre-k was placed as a top state funding priority of the past two state budget cycles…and rightfully so. Access to this vital service is a fundamental building block of our state’s education system and helps ensure children have the strong foundation necessary to enter kindergarten ready to learn. Furthermore, research has shown that it can reduce grade repetition, special education placements, and dropout rates. Unfortunately, even with recent increases in state funding, there are over 112,900 eligible children who qualify for high-quality, publicly funded pre-k but remain unserved.

New Report Details How Pennsylvania Can Step Up Investment in High-Quality Pre-k

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

State of the Child

 

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