HARRISBURG >> A new statewide, non-partisan campaign focused on increasing early learning opportunities in Pennsylvania will kick off with a rally at the state Capitol on June 3.

To begin the “Early Learning PA: All Children Ready to Succeed” campaign hundreds of early learning advocates will call upon legislators to prioritize continued investments in early childhood programs as part of the fiscal 2014-15 state budget.

The Early Learning PA campaign is a broad-based coalition of parents, educators, civic and business leaders, law enforcement and military officials and others who want to ensure Pennsylvania has a comprehensive early childhood education system that provides all of the commonwealth’s children, particularly its most vulnerable, with access to the learning resources and supports they need to enter school ready to learn.

“All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life,” said Jodi Askins, executive director of the Pennsylvania Association for the Education of Young Children and Early Learning PA Campaign co-chair. “Pennsylvania has a model system for early learning opportunities, however it reaches too few of our children.”

Early Learning PA is seeking additional state investments to reduce the un-met need for high-quality pre-kindergarten, quality enhancements to child care through the Keystone STARS program and professional development opportunities for early childhood instructors as part of the 2014-15 state budget currently being negotiated in Harrisburg. The campaign also will work to inform candidates for governor and the legislature on the importance of strong, sustained investments in Pennsylvania’s continuum of early learning services.

This week, partners of the Early Learning PA campaign met with members of the General Assembly’s 129-member Early Childhood Education Caucus, co-chaired by Sen. Pat Browne, R-Lehigh and Rep. Phyllis Mundy, D-Luzerne. Browne and Mundy recently introduced resolutions designating April 2014 as the “Month of the Young Child” and recognizing every Pennsylvania child deserves access to high-quality early learning opportunities. The resolutions were adopted unanimously by the Senate and House of Representatives.

Early Learning PA is a statewide collaboration of the following organizations: Delaware Valley Association for the Education of Young Children, Fight Crime: Invest In Kids, Mission: Readiness – Military Leaders For Kids, Pennsylvania Association for the Education Of Young Children, Pennsylvania Child Care Association, Pennsylvania Head Start Association, Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, Pittsburgh Association for the Education of Young Children and Public Citizens for Children and Youth.

Chambersburg Local News – May 23, 2014 – Read article online