Pre-k Roundtable “just the beginning”

House Democrat Leader Nancy Pelosi, Governor Tom Wolf, Mayor Jim Kenney and State Rep. Dwight Evans, stood shoulder-to-shoulder at a press conference following a roundtable discussion on pre-k.

“What you’re seeing up here? It’s never happened before,” Evans told reporters on Monday.

Evans said such a discussion involving high level local, state and federal officials united over the need for pre-k was unprecendented and that it was “just the beginning.”

“Nothing brings more money to the treasury of a locality, state or the federal government than investing in education,” Pelosi said at the press conference.

“When somebody says we cannot spend this money in the budget because it’s going to increase the deficit, that is a false economy,” she added. An excited crowd of pre-k advocates, educators and civic leaders, including Councilwomen Cherelle Parker, Helen Gym and Councilman Mark Squilla, surrounded the roundtable panel as they discussed the challenges and solutions to get more toddlers into quality pre-k.

Governor Wolf reiterated his long-standing commitment to expanding pre-k across the state, saying his budget proposal to the legislature will include “an ambitious” pre-k plan to increase the number of affordable, high quality pre-k seats. Last year he asked the legislature for $60 million–he got half.

“Sooner or later,” Wolf said, “I think the people in Harrisburg will understand … it’s the right thing to do. It’s the smart thing to do, and if we don’t do it we’re going to pay for it three or four times over in incarceration.”

In addition to government officials, the panel also featured local luminaries, including: Dr. William Hite, Superintendent, Philadelphia Public Schools; Otis Bullock, Executive Director, Diversified Community Services; Jim Cawley, President and CEO, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey; Janet Haas, Board Chair, The William Penn Foundation; Sharmain Matlock-Turner, President & CEO, Urban Affairs Coalition; Joe Meterchick, Regional President, PNC Bank; Carol Wong, Director, Chinatown Learning Center.

(From left) State Rep. Dwight Evans, Gov. Tom Wolf, House Dem Leader Nancy Peolosi, Mayor Jim Kenney, PCCY Exec. Dir. Donna Cooper, SDP Superintendent Bill Hite.