Dear Friends and Colleagues,

On Tuesday, Pennsylvanians re-elected Josh Shapiro as governor and delivered a Democratic majority in both the state House and Senate, giving Harrisburg unified leadership for the first time in more than three decades. PA voters also flipped key congressional seats to deliver a Democratic majority in Congress. We’re seeing similar results across the country.

For years, so many of the things families need, from fair school funding to paid family leave, have stalled in a divided legislature.

And while there are no guarantees on how things will shake out, elected leaders now have an opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to families. So before the new term begins, we’re offering three principles for the newly elected officials, and for the ones who hope to be next.

1. Turn Your Promises into Progress

Across Pennsylvania and the country, voters were clear about one thing: the cost to raise a family is too high. Families are feeling the squeeze everywhere, from the grocery store to the pharmacy counter. For too long, these costs have fallen hardest on Black and brown families and on communities that have been underinvested in for generations.

Families don’t live on campaign promises. They live on child care slots and affordable tuition, school budgets delivered on time, and health coverage they can count on. Our leaders have a real chance to deliver all of it.

The measure of a family-friendly agenda is simple: bills enacted that prioritize children’s wellbeing and families’ economic mobility, and a budget that invests in child care programs, schools, health centers, and more. We’re ready to help our new leaders get there.

2. Make Sure Your Policies Follow the Science

Decades of research tell us what children need to thrive: high-quality early learning, stable health coverage, vaccines, well-funded schools, and homes free of lead hazards. The good news is that we know what works. The task now is to enact legislation that enshrines it and pass budgets that fund it. This election showed that families are paying attention to what their lawmakers actually get done. Pennsylvania’s returning and newly elected leaders have the chance to champion those issues, backed by real scientific evidence.

3. Govern with People, Not over Them

Democracy works best when every person has a voice, and when leaders remember that they serve the people, not the other way around. This year, Pennsylvanians showed how deeply they care about that promise.

For children, this lesson matters most of all, because they depend on adults to speak for them. The best policies come from listening to the families closest to the problem, like the parents who helped shape our new strategic plan, who testified at City Council about young children being pushed out of pre-k, and who came to Harrisburg to call for lead testing for every toddler.

Governing well also means working together. Kids’ issues shouldn’t be partisan, and lasting progress for children has always depended on champions on both sides of the aisle.

What Comes Next

The first opportunity comes early next year when Governor Shapiro delivers his FY2027-28 budget plan. We look forward to working with our returning and newly elected leaders to:

• Keep PA on track to fully and fairly fund every public school, so a child’s opportunities don’t depend on their zip code.
• Make child care affordable for families and sustainable for the providers and educators.
• Protect children’s health, from coverage that families can count on to lead testing for every toddler.

• Pass paid family and medical leave.

• Pass a state budget on time, so kids aren’t left waiting.

With your support, Children First will be there every step of the way, bringing the data, building the relationships, and lifting up the voices of families so that children are at the front of the line, not told to wait for “next session.” What we’ve been building toward together may very well be within reach. Together, we’re building a brighter future for every PA child.

With gratitude,
Mai Miksic
Executive Director

“For many families, finding reliable and affordable childcare remains a major barrier to employment. For single mothers, parents working multiple jobs and individuals reentering the workforce, navigating childcare options can be overwhelming.”

• Dan DeBone, President/CEO of the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce

PA children in juvenile detention are taking classes – but their transcripts are still getting lost when they return to their neighborhood schools or they’re just not getting class credit, despite a law passed in 2022 to improve the system.

“It just feels like a whole waste of your time, and it’s not a good feeling,” said Aqilah David when she came home after being locked up. She had to fight with her home school that she’d taken classes while in detention, and ended up graduating late.

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