UPDATE (June 21, 2024): More than 50 organizations have now signed on to the letter. Local chambers of commerce from across Pennsylvania signed a letter urging lawmakers to address Pennsylvania’s continuous child care crisis. Child care is the workforce behind our workforce and without safe, reliable child care, our working families suffer. The staffing shortage […] [Read More]
This week, child care providers, advocates, and a bi-partisan slate of lawmakers rallied on the steps of the capitol to highlight the impact of a historic child care teacher shortage driven by low-wages and called on the general assembly to invest in a recruitment and retention grant program as part of the final budget deal to help keep teachers in the classroom. [Read More]
"$2.4 Billion: The Annual Cost of PA's Child Care Crisis for Working Mothers” is a new report from the nonprofit ReadyNation that looks specifically at the economic impact of PA's working mothers' struggles with gaps in our child care system. [Read More]
Start Strong PA’s report “Solving the Child Care Teacher Shortage Through State Recruitment and Retention Investments” details how others states are navigating the child care teacher shortage crisis that is closing programs and driving up waitlists for working families in need of care. [Read More]
Today, the bicameral, bipartisan Early Childhood Education Caucus hosted a rally with child care and pre-K students, teachers and parents as well as other advocates to underscore the worsening impacts of the commonwealth’s early learning teacher shortage. [Read More]
The PA Senate recognized SR 261 designating the week of April 6 through 12, 2024 as the “Week of the Young Child” in Pennsylvania. This week is about acknowledging the importance of early childhood care and education, and celebrating the incredible potential that lies within every young mind. Celebrating this week also means recognizing the significant […] [Read More]
The Early Childhood Education Caucus was joined Tuesday (May 6) by representatives from the business and law enforcement communities, and military leaders, as well as early learning advocates, to explain why the state must adequately fund early childhood education programs. [Read More]
Senator Majority Whip Senator Pat Browne, co-chair of the Early Childhood Education Caucus, joined Governor Corbett at a press conference yesterday (January 30) at which the Governor announced a $10 million increase in funding for the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts program in the 2014-15 budget proposal that will be unveiled next week. [Read More]
State Senator Pat Browne and Rep. Phyllis Mundy today co-hosted a news conference where legislators, a business leader, a law enforcement official and advocates discussed the importance of early childhood education and the need for the state to adequately fund those programs. [Read More]
State Senator Pat Browne (R-16) and Representative Phyllis Mundy (D-120) today (March 2nd) reaffirmed their commitment to preserving essential programs that give many Pennsylvania children an extra boost that helps them succeed in school and later in life. [Read More]
