Economy League, Pre-K Advocates Urge Bipartisan Support of 2017-18 Investment Proposal
Executive Leaders Laud Gov. Wolf’s Commitment to High-Quality Pre-K
HARRISBURG (Feb. 7, 2017)— The Pre-K for PA campaign lauded Gov. Tom Wolf’s continued commitment to expanding access to high-quality pre-k in Pennsylvania after he announced a $75 million expansion as part of his 2017-18 budget address today.
The principal partners of Pre-K for PA issued the following statement regarding this budget proposal:
“Governor Wolf, along with a large majority of legislators from both sides of the aisle, understands that continued investment in high-quality pre-k programs is an effective long-term strategy to ensure that our next generation is ready to succeed. We are gratified that he is standing up for kids in his 2017-18 budget proposal. Serving more kids with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity will reap strong cost savings in the future in the form of less public spending on special education, social welfare programs and crime.
“Pre-K for PA has united a diverse collection of stakeholders across the commonwealth that are urging the governor and legislature to come together behind a budget agreement that generates enough revenue to balance the budget and makes this investment in pre-k – making 2017 the Year of the Child.”
Governor Wolf’s budget proposal included $65 million in additional funding for the state’s Pre-K Counts program and an additional $10 million for the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program. This $75 million expansion would serve more than 8,400 additional young children. Currently more than 112,000 eligible three- and four-year-olds do not have access to high-quality publicly funded pre-k programs.
The Economy League is a founding member of the Pre-K for PA campaign, which is working to ensure every at-risk child has access to a high-quality pre-kindergarten program and middle-income families can more easily afford these services for their children. In this role, the Economy League helps to lead the campaign, provides policy research and engages the business community in supporting early education in Pennsylvania.
About Pre-K for PA
Pre-K for PA is an issue campaign supported by individuals and organizations across Pennsylvania who believe that investing in our children is the right choice and an urgent necessity. Our vision is to ensure that all children can enter school ready to succeed by making high-quality pre-k accessible to every 3- and 4-year-old in Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.prekforpa.org.