There are nearly 70,000 three and four-year-old children in SE PA who cannot enroll in high-quality pre-kindergarten (Pre-K), according to information released this week by the “Pre-K for PA” campaign. Despite the known benefits of Pre-K, public funds provide access to only about one in six eligible children in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Philadelphia counties, said the group.

“Every family in PA should have the option of enrolling their child in a high-quality Pre-K program,” said Donna Cooper, Executive Director of Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY), one of the founding partners of the campaign in a press statement. “Investing in these tried and true programs will make sure more of our children are ready for school.”

The report said there are about 100,000 children ages three and four living in SE PA. Of those, 52,320 (52%) live in households that are below 300 percent of the poverty level – or $70,650 for a family of four, the cut-off for qualifying for publicly subsidized Pre-K programs such as Pre-K Counts and Head Start. According to the group, the funding level provided by the state is far from sufficient to meet the demand. As a result, too many families cannot afford to enroll their children in high quality Pre-K programs, which meet specific standards that place them at a level well beyond routine baby-sitting.

A recent study by PCCY found that because of a lack of state investment, less than a third of low-and-moderate income children in Montgomery County have access to quality early learning programs. Nearly 7,000 additional seats are needed to fill the gap, it said.

“Investing in these programs now will have a greater return later as our children grow into successful adults,” said Steven Wray, Executive Director of the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia, one of the coalition member organizations. The League is a research and policy action organization focused on regionwide economic development issues.

PA Partnerships for Children, also a member of the Pre-K coalition, recently released a study, “A Smart Choice for a Solid Start: The Case for Pre-K in PA,” that shows nearly a quarter million three and four-year-olds in the state lack access to quality Pre-K because their families cannot find or afford such programs.

The report outlines documented benefits of effective Pre-K programs, including stronger academic and social skills, reduced costs for special education, and a greater likelihood of high school graduation and better employment opportunities.

Citizens’ Call – March 14, 2014 – Đọc bài báo trực tuyến