Pennsylvania Pre-K for Pennsylvania Pre-K for AllAll

How Pennsylvania Policymakers Should How Pennsylvania Policymakers Should Increase Opportunities for All Families in Increase Opportunities for All Families in the Commonwealth to Have Affordable the Commonwealth to Have Affordable Access to High Quality Early Care and Access to High Quality Early Care and

Education ProgramsEducation Programs

Children are born ready to grow, Children are born ready to grow, ready to be valued, ready to learn.ready to be valued, ready to learn.

Fred RogersFred Rogers

OverviewOverview

Pennsylvania lawmakers should pass Pennsylvania lawmakers should pass the necessary legislation to provide the necessary legislation to provide all of the state’s families with access all of the state’s families with access to comprehensive, high quality pre-K to comprehensive, high quality pre-K education and careeducation and care

Benefits of Pre-K for AllBenefits of Pre-K for All Pre-K increases high school graduation ratesPre-K increases high school graduation rates Pre-K helps children do better on standardized Pre-K helps children do better on standardized

teststests Pre-K reduces grade retentionPre-K reduces grade retention Pre-K reduces the number of children placed in Pre-K reduces the number of children placed in

special educationspecial education Pre-K reduces crime, delinquency and rates of Pre-K reduces crime, delinquency and rates of

teen pregnancyteen pregnancy Pre-K leads to greater employment and higher Pre-K leads to greater employment and higher

wages as adultswages as adults Every $1 invested in high quality Pre-K saves Every $1 invested in high quality Pre-K saves

taxpayers up to $7taxpayers up to $7

Pennsylvania DemographicsPennsylvania Demographics According to the 2000 US Census, there are 299,530 three- According to the 2000 US Census, there are 299,530 three-

and four-year-olds who could benefit from state-funded Pre-and four-year-olds who could benefit from state-funded Pre-KK

Sixteen percent of Pa’s children under age 5 live in povertySixteen percent of Pa’s children under age 5 live in poverty Only approximately 2/3rds of eligible children in PA attend Only approximately 2/3rds of eligible children in PA attend

Head Start.Head Start. Only 47% of low SES kindergarteners nationally attended Only 47% of low SES kindergarteners nationally attended

center-based early education programs such as Head Startcenter-based early education programs such as Head Start 62% of children under the age of 6 in PA live with working 62% of children under the age of 6 in PA live with working

parentsparents Median cost of child care for 4-year-olds in PA is $6800. Median cost of child care for 4-year-olds in PA is $6800.

That represents 10% of the median income for two-parent That represents 10% of the median income for two-parent working families and 31% of the median income for single-working families and 31% of the median income for single-parent working families.parent working families.

Current Picture of Pre-K for All in Current Picture of Pre-K for All in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania

In April 2002, Governor Schweiker In April 2002, Governor Schweiker convened the Governor’s Task Force on convened the Governor’s Task Force on Early Childhood Care and Education.Early Childhood Care and Education.

The Task Force set forth 13 The Task Force set forth 13 recommendationsrecommendations

Many of those recommendations have Many of those recommendations have been incorporated in Governor Rendell’s been incorporated in Governor Rendell’s agenda for early childhood educationagenda for early childhood education

Recent AchievementsRecent Achievements National recognition from the United Way of America for National recognition from the United Way of America for

Keystone STARSKeystone STARS Approximately 61% of child care centers participate in Approximately 61% of child care centers participate in

Keystone STARSKeystone STARS Establishment of Early Learning Standards for Pre-KEstablishment of Early Learning Standards for Pre-K Inclusion of Pre-K for 3-and 4-year-olds in Education Inclusion of Pre-K for 3-and 4-year-olds in Education

Accountability Block Grant programAccountability Block Grant program Establishment of the first-ever state investment in Head Establishment of the first-ever state investment in Head

Start ($30 million in 2005-06)Start ($30 million in 2005-06) Formation of the statewide Partnership for Quality Pre-Formation of the statewide Partnership for Quality Pre-

KindergartenKindergarten Initiation of teacher quality reform for all early childhood Initiation of teacher quality reform for all early childhood

settings.settings. Pennsylvania’s participation in the national Build initiativePennsylvania’s participation in the national Build initiative

Issues: QualityIssues: Quality

Continued and enhanced state Continued and enhanced state funding of Keystone STARSfunding of Keystone STARS

Incorporation of PA Early Learning Incorporation of PA Early Learning Standards in Keystone STARS criteriaStandards in Keystone STARS criteria

Incorporation of PA Early Learning Incorporation of PA Early Learning Standards in Head Start programs Standards in Head Start programs and teacher preparation programsand teacher preparation programs

NIEER quality standardsNIEER quality standards

Coordination of School and Coordination of School and Community-based ProgramsCommunity-based Programs

Public school subcontracting modelPublic school subcontracting model

Community-based modelCommunity-based model

Issue: FundingIssue: Funding

Projected cost of Pre-K for All ranging Projected cost of Pre-K for All ranging from $2 billion to $2.7 billion from $2 billion to $2.7 billion annuallyannually

Coordination of resources under Coordination of resources under current programs and initiativescurrent programs and initiatives

State leadership and fiscal State leadership and fiscal responsibilityresponsibility

All of the Commonwealth’s children All of the Commonwealth’s children deserve the opportunity to learn—and an deserve the opportunity to learn—and an educated citizenry is our most effective educated citizenry is our most effective economic development tool. Decades of economic development tool. Decades of research make clear that if we expect our research make clear that if we expect our students to achieve at high levels, we students to achieve at high levels, we must start them off early and start right. must start them off early and start right. Early education and care provide a critical Early education and care provide a critical focus for our efforts.focus for our efforts.

Governor Ed Governor Ed RendellRendell

Policy Recommendation: AccessPolicy Recommendation: Access

Pennsylvania lawmakers should Pennsylvania lawmakers should institute voluntary Pre-K for all 3- and institute voluntary Pre-K for all 3- and 4-year-olds through legislation that 4-year-olds through legislation that would:would:– establish a system of accountability for establish a system of accountability for

compliance with quality standards, and compliance with quality standards, and – provide for state funding of school provide for state funding of school

district administered programsdistrict administered programs

Policy Recommendation: QualityPolicy Recommendation: Quality

Pennsylvania should require that all state-Pennsylvania should require that all state-funded programs providing Pre-K funded programs providing Pre-K demonstrate compliance with the PA Early demonstrate compliance with the PA Early Learning Standards, and as appropriate, Learning Standards, and as appropriate, Keystone STARSKeystone STARS

Community-based centers providing Community-based centers providing contracted Pre-K services should be contracted Pre-K services should be required to have STARS 3 or 4 ratingrequired to have STARS 3 or 4 rating

Head Start centers providing contracted Head Start centers providing contracted Pre-K services should be required to Pre-K services should be required to participate in the Keystone STARS participate in the Keystone STARS programprogram

Policy is most effectively evident by Policy is most effectively evident by where we put our money.where we put our money.

Donna Cooper, Secretary of Policy & PlanningDonna Cooper, Secretary of Policy & Planning

Governor’s OfficeGovernor’s Office

Policy Recommendation: FundingPolicy Recommendation: Funding

State-funded Pre-K for All 3- and 4-year-State-funded Pre-K for All 3- and 4-year-olds: Pennsylvania Pre-K Fundolds: Pennsylvania Pre-K Fund

State distribution of funding to school State distribution of funding to school districts as restricted portion of basic districts as restricted portion of basic education subsidyeducation subsidy

Parity with K-12 per-pupil expendituresParity with K-12 per-pupil expenditures School district responsibility for School district responsibility for

distribution of funding in school-based distribution of funding in school-based and/or community-based delivery systemsand/or community-based delivery systems

Policy Recommendation: Funding Policy Recommendation: Funding Sources of RevenueSources of Revenue

Redirect funding from current programs Redirect funding from current programs and initiatives for early childhood and and initiatives for early childhood and early careearly care

Allocate funds from Tobacco Settlement, Allocate funds from Tobacco Settlement, gaming, lottery, other special sourcesgaming, lottery, other special sources

Institute tax increaseInstitute tax increase Plan for special education savingsPlan for special education savings Plan with districts for local and private Plan with districts for local and private

supportsupport

Overcoming ObstaclesOvercoming Obstacles

Public engagementPublic engagement

ParentsParents

Business and Community LeadersBusiness and Community Leaders

Holding Policymakers AccountableHolding Policymakers Accountable

Sustained, unwavering commitment by Sustained, unwavering commitment by PA’s governor and legislators PA’s governor and legislators

Comprehensive, data-driven system of Comprehensive, data-driven system of tracking funding, program delivery, quality tracking funding, program delivery, quality and school readiness outcomesand school readiness outcomes

Ballot initiative for state-funded, high Ballot initiative for state-funded, high quality Pre-K for All should be consideredquality Pre-K for All should be considered

Widespread publication of benefits and Widespread publication of benefits and outcomes of Pre-K for All of Pennsylvania’s outcomes of Pre-K for All of Pennsylvania’s 3- and 4-year-olds3- and 4-year-olds

The AnswerThe Answer

Research shows, and we concur, that Research shows, and we concur, that comprehensive, high quality Pre-K for comprehensive, high quality Pre-K for All may be the answer to most, if not All may be the answer to most, if not all, of the problems facing public all, of the problems facing public education education