Few Pennsylvanians were surprised that Tom Corbett lost last week. Most pundits point to the Corbett education cuts as the leading reason for his defeat. The Corbett campaign contended that he did not cut education and that his predecessor, Ed Rendell, was responsible...
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Early Learning
Group day cares could face tougher zoning process – The Phiadelphia Inquirer – November 6, 2014
A City Council bill that would prohibit small family-run day cares in certain neighborhoods is expected to be watered down when it comes up before council next week. The bill, in its current form, would prohibit “group day cares,” which are usually based in a house...
Open Letter to Governor-Elect Tom Wolf
Dear Governor-elect Tom Wolf, Congratulations on your victory! Your campaign was historic in so many ways, some obvious and some less so. Among those less discussed implications of your great campaign was the impact you had on the mindset of Pennsylvanians. As the...
Daycare Advocates Fuming as Phila. Moves Toward Modification of Zoning Rules – CBS Philly – November 6, 2014
Despite criticism of the idea from some daycare providers, a Philadelphia City Council committee today okayed a bill that changes the approval process for small, neighborhood daycare centers. Philadelphia’s new zoning code — which took effect two years ago — changed...
Testimony to Philadelphia City Council Rules Committee: Zoning
Responding to Philadelphia's City Council Bill 140802 which would amend the city's new zoning code to make it harder to open a Group Child Care program.
New Polls Show Strong Support for High-Quality Pre-K – PR Newswire – October 22, 2014
With Election Day fast approaching, two recent statewide polls of likely Pennsylvania voters demonstrate consistent and strong support for high-quality pre-kindergarten programming and voter prioritization for pre-k has grown. The polls are consistent with a...
Kindergarten-Readiness Tests: Navigating a Tricky Terrain – Education Week – October 15, 2014
Pennsylvania is using a new kindergarten-entrance assessment this fall, and a review of the way it's handling the project points to key challenges states face as they use tests to gauge what students know as they enter the K-12 system. How kindergarten-readiness tests...
New Report Outlines Potential Savings for PA Taxpayers through Investment in Pre-K – PR Newswire – October 20, 2014
Pennsylvania stands to reap significant benefits in the form of reduced costs to taxpayers and the state budget as a result of expanded access to pre-kindergarten programs for the commonwealth's 3- and 4-year-olds. That's according to new research released by Pre-K...
Why Isn’t the State Targeting Early Childhood Expansion to Areas with Greatest Need?
Governor Corbett recently announced a $9.8 million expansion of Pre-K Counts, spread over 27 counties. As the Department of Education was considering where that money would go, its Office of Child Development and Early Learning released a report outlining ten counties...
Pennsylvania’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment
A review of the state’s approach to pilot testing and implementing a new school readiness assessment by Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) finds that the state needs to be much clearer about the assessment’s purpose and take proactive steps to ensure the...