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In the state of Pennsylvania, quality in early childhood education – especially at the preschool level – rose rapidly under the relatively new Office of Child Development and Early Learning. With strong support from Gov. Rendell and bold leadership by Deputy Secretary Harriet Dichter, Pennsylvania is increasingly recognized as a national leader in the field. PIC has embraced these initiatives by raising already high quality standards even higher through Keystone Stars and Pre-K Counts.
http://www.prekcounts.or
Funding for Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts in the difficult 2009-10 budget year was $86.4 million, serving 11,800 3- and 4-year-olds statewide. Data from the previous school year showed an impressive 99% of chidlren exhibited age-appropriate skills and behaviors after attending the Pennsylvania Pre-K Counts program.
As a 4-star center, PIC was awarded nearly $60,000 last year in Keystone Stars grants that supported program improvements and bonuses for teachers who achieved high standards.
Even with the new statewide investment in pre-k education, fewer than 10% of Pennsylvania preschoolers are enrolled in public pre-kindergarten programs. Find out more about the pre-K movement to provide universal, quality pre-kindergarten education to all families who want it.
Take a stand on state and local issues with Action Alerts from Philadelphia Citizens for Children and Youth.
Interested in advocating for all our children? Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children explains more about state funding for education, child care and kids' health.
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Diaper Demand!
PIC has a proud tradition of advocating for public investment in education. During the state budget crisis last summer and fall, our families sent many messages to legislators in support of funding early childhood education and Pennsylvania's PreK Counts Program.
In response to political paralysis in Harrisburg, we sent the following message to the legislative leadership:
On behalf of children and families at The Parent-Infant Center in West Philadelphia, we implore you to use the same skills in resolving the state budget crisis that our youngsters have acquired as participants in a high-quality early learning program:
- Solve your problems together
- When you do not agree, use your words
- If you make a mess, clean it up
Children across Pennsylvania deserve a state budget that invests in their early care and learning. And they deserve legislators who will act like leaders, do the right thing, and pass a budget that supports and preserves the enormous strides Pennsylvania has made in creating a statewide system that ensures quality in early learning programs.
So, please. Work together on this problem, use your words, and clean up the mess you’ve made. Our children, our teachers, our parents are depending on you.
P.S. We have enclosed something to help you stay at your desk until the job is done.
And in every envelope, we enclosed a disposable diaper!
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